It was 7:30 in the evening when the last beams of sunlight struck the cold wall. An owl hooted somewhere in the distance, followed by a cacophony of crows and ravens. A carriage jogged along a paved path, pulled by 4 coal-black horses that whinny as they clopped over every stone.
The castle rose above us, its tallest turret touching the stars. A warm, hearty glow spilled out from the doorways, inviting us inside. The princess waited with baited breath for her charming prince.
My driver deposited me at the doorway and swallowed. His breath was deep and heavy and his eyes were too big.
“Well, this is the place,” he said. “Good luck.”
It wasn’t reassuring, but it was enough.
I found the dining room easily enough. A magnificent table squatted in the centre. The finest china, glazed with flowers. Silverware, polished under the wavering candlelight. Crystal goblets, alert and attentive.
She appeared in the doorway. Purple frills fell lightly down her knees as she glided towards me. Almost magically, the butler appeared to pour us some wine. “Thank you for coming here.”
“Of course.” I wanted her. God I wanted her. She smelled so desirable already, of dead lavender flowers rotting in the drain.
I took a sip of the wine. It tasted of iron with a raspberry finish. Hopefully like the crimson rum pumping from her heart.
The appetiser arrived, some sort of salad. Faded greens and scrunched-up tomatoes masked with ranch.
“So,” she drawled.
“How was your journey? I trust it has been comfortable.”
Indeed it had. She wrapped herself in my dreams and in my imagination, and I fell asleep with her name on my lips Bella, Bella, Bella…
The entree came, a whole roast pig that the butler automatically started to carve out. It snapped on the apple between its jowls and glared at me as the knife dug into its flesh like butter. We ate quickly then, neither wanting to break the awkward silence with small talk. I once again marvelled at how beautiful she was tonight. She was exactly how I liked my women. Mysterious.
“Are you having a good time?” Bella asked shyly. A tinge of crimson dotted her cheeks. Pale as the full moon.
Everything was good, all right. The last fragments of my thoughts settled down into a plan. Already my fangs were rising from their slumber. It was almost time. All I needed now was a distraction.
But instead she siddled closer to me, her claws creeping up my face. She planted a kiss on my lips and I crumbled. My heart murmured and I realised I couldn’t look away from those deep ruby eyes.
“You are a charming gentleman. Thank you for coming to visit me,” Bella said, and then she smiled for the first time all evening. There was that hungry look in her eyes that I knew all too well; and there were her fangs hanging over her teeth, dripping with drool.

Summer of Adventure Sale – 15% off some of Exodus Travels most popular trips

Posted on May 15, 2024 by Andrew Larder

Summer of Adventure Sale

Summer brings longer days and endless hours of sunshine, making a European summer trip more tempting than ever. Whether you’re looking to soak up the sun in Greece, enjoy local wine tastings in Italy or take rides along countryside lanes in France, we’ve got the perfect hiking and biking adventures for you.
To help you start planning, we’re offering up to 15% off some of Exodus Travels most popular trips, so you can get that Summer of Adventure feeling! Available on selected departures between May 1st and September 30th, 2024. With over 400 trips on sale, talk to our agents today to figure out what summer adventure you want to experience.
In a couple of months’ time, you could be discovering the legendary site of Pompeii and the romantic towns of Positano and Ravello on our Highlights of the Amalfi Coast trip. Or take a journey back in time, on our Highlights of Ancient Greece, to visit the fascinating archaeological ruins of Acropolis, Epidaurus and Mycenae. If you’re interested in biking, consider Cycle Northern France: Brittany to Normandy to take you past stunning medieval villages, the historic Omaha Beach and harbor towns that are known for their oysters and refreshing apple cider.
Make 2024 the Summer of Adventure to remember forever. With tours in over 100 countries on sale, get inspired by checking out a few adventures below or contact us to find your perfect trip.
Our Top Picks for Summer 2024;
With so many trips to choose from, here are just a few to get you started. Culture, Wildlife, Hiking or Cycling; find your adventure this summer!
Highlights of Ancient Greece – Cultural Journey through thousands of years and major UNESCO World Heritage sites
Tour Starting in Athens, this tour covers significant archaeological sites such as the Acropolis, Mycenae, and Epidaurus. It also includes visits to the medieval castle town of Mystras, Olympia—site of the ancient Olympic Games, Delphi, and the stone forest of Meteora, a major Orthodox community. The journey spans the Peloponnese peninsula and central Greece, featuring stunning coastlines, forests, and mountains.
HIGHLIGHTS
•Explore the ancient sites of Mystras and Delphi •Visit Olympia, the site of the first Olympic Games •Enjoy spectacular Meteora
Highlights of the Amalfi Coast – Cultural Discover one of the most fascinating and romantic destinations in the world
Tour Based in quiet Agerola, amid the green Lattari mountains, this tour explores the Bay of Naples’ famous sites, including the well-preserved ruins of Herculaneum and the legendary Pompeii. The journey extends to the dramatic Amalfi Coast, offering excursions to Capri, scenic views from the Path of the Gods, and the charming town of Ravello. Experience the region’s rich cultural heritage and breathtaking landscapes, celebrated by artists and writers throughout history.
HIGHLIGHTS
•Enjoy boat trips along the Amalfi Coast and to the island of Capri •See the romantic coastal towns of Amalfi, Positano and Ravello •Visit both Herculaneum and Pompeii •Enjoy Italian hospitality at family-run Hotel Due Torri
Cycling Vietnam – Cycling Experience the real Vietnam by bike
Tour This two-week cycling tour from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi covers diverse landscapes, from colorful fishing villages and rice terraces to jungle-clad mountains and white sandy beaches. Highlights include swimming on a tropical island, exploring the ancient port of Hoi An, and ascending the scenic Hai Van Pass for breathtaking coastal views.
HIGHLIGHTS
•Take a cycling holiday through Vietnam’s most scenic landscapes •Savour mouth-watering cuisine •Crawl through the Cu Chi war tunnels •Relax in charming Hoi An •Cruise among the limestone formations of Ha Long Bay •Overnight on a tropical island
Cycling Puglia & Matera – Cycling Cycle from the UNESCO town of Matera through Italy’s heel to Lecce
Tour Explore the cultural and natural treasures of Italy’s Puglia and Basilicata regions. This itinerary includes Matera’s intriguing Sassi houses and the UNESCO-listed trulli houses of Alberobello. The journey proceeds through idyllic countryside to Ostuni, the White City, and onto Gallipoli along the dramatic Ionian coastline. While cycling across the Salento Peninsula, experience the quintessential Italian lifestyle amidst olive groves, limestone cliffs, crystal-clear waters, and baroque towns.
HIGHLIGHTS
•Ride from the stunning UNESCO town of Matera •Enjoy gentle cycling through olive groves and past conical trulli houses •Sample fine seafood and wine from the Salento coast •Stay in accommodation bursting with character
Loire Valley: Walks, Wine & Chateaux – Hiking Discover regal estates and fine wines in the glamorous Garden of France
Tour Enjoy a walking tour in the Loire Valley, where stunning royal castles meet premier winemaking. Stay in a chateau near Tours and a country manor in Beaumont-en-Véron, ideal bases for exploring the region. Visit notable castles like Amboise and Chenonceau, and tour picturesque vineyards, sampling exceptional wines along the way.
HIGHLIGHTS
•Stay in a 15th-century chateau and 17-century country manor house •Tour Chenonceau, a magnificent chateau stretching over the Cher river •Visit wine producers to sample their celebrated drinks at source •Visit the lavish Château Royal d’Amboise, once home to French monarchs •Meet members of the Loire wine brotherhoods, practically unrivalled in their knowledge of the local produce •Enjoy tranquil walks through vineyards and along the Loire River
Iceland’s Laugavegur Trek – Hiking Hike one of the best-loved walking trails in Iceland to discover otherworldly landscapes
Tour Iceland is renowned as a premier trekking destination with its dramatic landscapes shaped by volcanic activity and glaciers. The Laugavegur Trail is a highlight, featuring a week-long trek from the colorful mountains of Landmannalaugar to the dramatic Thorsmork region, exploring craters from the 2010 eruption. All meals are included while camping. Additionally, early summer treks enjoy nearly 24 hours of daylight, while trips in late August and early September offer potential sightings of the Northern Lights.
HIGHLIGHTS
•Take the best-known trekking route in Iceland •Discover natural hot pools, waterfalls, lava fields, craters and volcanic fissures •Experience 24-hour daylight in July, chance of the Northern Lights in late August and September
Drew Larder FORA Travel Advisor – Amazing DEALS and perks of unforgettable travel. Hotels, cruise lines pay for my travel help, not you!
Andrew Larder, FORA Travel Advisor

Help Spread The Word!

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• More

Customize buttons

Like this:

Related

May Is Travel Advisor Appreciation Month

May 14, 2024
In "Travel"

Antarctic Cruise Adventure 2024

April 10, 2024
In "Travel"

Last Minute Villa Rentals – Stay And Save!

May 14, 2024
In "Travel"
TravelExodus Travels, Summer of Adventure SaleSummer of Adventure Sale – 15% off some of Exodus Travels most popular trips

After four straight years of constant academic warfare, this week I had basically nothing going on. I don't have any more finals, I have one more assignment total, I'm not working any more... And I thought I should take some time to just walk around campus and poke my head in some of the buildings I had never been to before, as I had previously been confined largely to the engineering buildings on the west side of campus, given this would be my last opportunity to do so (Unless I drove several hours just for the purpose of doing that, of course).
There's so much cool stuff here! Cool architecture, cool art, cool research wall posters, surprise green spaces, epic views, cool plants, grand statues, awesome balconies, magnificent overlooks, extremely academic looking staircases... And I only got through probably not even ten buildings. I'll only have part of tomorrow for the others, on top of everything else I need to do, so there's no way I'm going to see everything this campus has to offer.
Like, it really is beautiful here when you're not constantly fighting for each extra minute of time. I didn't know we funded studies into meme psychology. I didn't know we had a puppetry lab. I didn't know we published several different magazines. I didn't know how grand the views were from the top of Heady Hall. I didn't know that Durham had a subbasement. I didn't know that the stairstep side of Agronomy hall was a vibe in the rain. I didn't know about the gratuitous balconies and overlooks in Gerdin. Or the extent of the laboratories in the Food Sciences Building. I didn't know we had an entire section dedicated to wine research!
And that's what I found in just a few hours, in just a few buildings. Who knows what else is out there that I won't have the time to find...
Now that I finally stopped to smell the roses, I'm just kinda sad I'll never get to smell them all, I guess. If I had known how much cool stuff there was everywhere, and if I had the time, I would have explored a lot more.

One day, Aether is outside of his house with a stern expression, waiting for someone...
Then as he closed his eyes and wind blows through his ears, when suddenly everything stops and went silent. He opened his eyes and sees the man he was waiting for...
A tall slender man with glowing eyes, dark-grey skin, platinum blonde hair, wears greek attire and some accessories that has greek numerals, has three pairs of dark wings, golden strikes all around his body, and holds a cane that shapes like a scythe and hourglass floating around him. He then spoke in a deep menacing voice.
???: "We meet again... Cousin."
Aether: "Yes indeed. It's been a while... Chronos."
Chronos: "Hahahaha! Ha... You know, thanks to you, I was able to walk again and see this magnificent world. Eversince my blasted sons sliced me down to ribbons and scattered my body all over tartarus and Zeus took my throne... Deep sighs but that's all in the past... What matters is that I am here now... Seeing you, and this world."
Aether: "You... You are taking this remarkably well, Chronos. How intriguing."
Chronos: "Oh, don't be. I still have a deep grudge towards my sons. They think they can stop me? Hehe, time cannot be stopped. So tell me... Why have you set me free from my emprisonment?
Aether: "Come inside my house for a better place to talk. It's getting cold out here."
After a while, Aether and Chronos went inside the house. The two are now sitting in a separate chair near the fireplace. Aether was going to pour Chronos some wine.
Chronos: "Oh, no, thank you, my dear cousin."
Aether: "Why? I thought you liked wine?"
Chronos: "I now have my own... Fears when sipping such drinks. Especially when Zeus poisoned me, whuch is something I wished it never happened."
Aether: "I am not going to poison you, but it's okay if you don't want to."
Chronos: "So... What is it? Why did you set me free?"
Aether: "I... I need your help, Chronos. The fatui. They are one-step near in achieving their goal. I don't know what exactly Tsaritsa's desire, but I believe it's something terrible... I am still in fontaine, and I am planning to move to Natlan for my next journey in finding my sister. And the fatui harbingers, Columbina and Capitano... I will encounter them and they will be difficult."
Chronos: "... And why can't you just... Go straight to the archon, instead of being a hero and risking your identity helping mortals in this world that is not even your home?"
Aether: "I know that this world, Teyvat, is not my home, but I have grown attached to it. And I cannot let the fatui or the abyss to destroy it. And now, there is only one gnosis left for the fatui to take, and then Teyvat might possibly be doomed. So... I need your help. I need your power of time to stop the forces of evil in this world."
Chronos was silent for a few seconds, before he spoked once again and a smile formed in his lips.
Chronos: "Then so be it... I have been imprisoned for a few millenia. But thanks to you, I am free now. So I hereby declare that I, Chronos, The Titan of Time, I am indebt with you, Lord Aether. And I shall aid you on your journey..."
Aether: "Very well... I am glad that I will be working along side you."
FUN FACT: Chronos has golden strike all over his body, because it is where he was sliced by his sons and scattered his body parts across tartarus, until Aether convinced Hades to free him and put him back together, causing his body to form some golden linings like scars, as sliced wounds have been healed.

Hey guys, this is one of my favorite original texts. I hope you enjoy it :)
To Dear Disappointment, my ever-loving shadow,
Another year cracks open, its shell slick with the oily sheen of false promises. How predictable, darling, how exquisitely predictable. You, of course, arrive right on time, a punctual guest with a bouquet of barbed wire and a smile carved from broken hopes.
Let's raise a toast, then, to another 365 days of chasing mirages in the desert of recognition. Here's to the applause that never quite reaches our ears, the accolades rewritten for others, the spotlight trained on empty chairs. To the love that evaporates like dew in the morning sun, leaving behind the parched landscape of unbelonging.
We'll dance, Disappointment, waltz in the ashes of burnt expectations. We'll tango with loneliness, a duet for one, our steps echoing in the cavernous halls of neglect. Oh, the irony, the delicious absurdity of it all! To crave belonging in a world built on exclusion, to yearn for warmth in a universe wrapped in the icy grip of indifference.
But fear not, my constant companion, for we shall be the jester at this cosmic banquet. We'll mock the grand illusions, peel back the gilded facades, and expose the festering void beneath. We'll laugh, a brittle, hysterical cackle that shatters the fragile stained glass of hope.
Oh, the glorious nihilism of it all! To embrace the meaninglessness, to spit in the face of purpose, to find solace in the cold comfort of entropy. Let the stars burn out, let galaxies implode, let existence itself writhe in its death throes – we shall remain, Disappointment and I, two vultures feasting on the carcass of meaning.
And what better time to revel in this symphony of despair than the dawn of a new year? A fresh canvas for unfulfilled dreams, a blank page ready to be stained with the ink of disillusionment. Let the fireworks roar, empty explosions in the cosmic void, celebrating the continuation of this magnificent farce.
So here's to you, Disappointment, my dearest confidante, my truest love. May we grow even closer in this new chapter, may our bond deepen in the fertile soil of despair. For in the absence of light, your darkness is my sun, your bitter truths my sweetest wine.
With a sardonic grin and a hollow heart,
Yours eternally,
The Undiscovered, Unloved, Unseen

I'm 50 this year and I'm lucky enough to have grown up drinking good wine. Sadly, my palate is changing - my mouth and tongue now dries out with certain liquids - more advanced toothpastes, tea and worst of all - red wines that are too tannic. As you can imagine, being British, the tea thing is quite upsetting. The red wine bit is a catastrophe. I'm okay on most Pinot, Gamay and lighter reds. I can drink a very good Bordeaux that's been aged enough but Barolo, Malbec, Cotes du Rhone etc are a big no-no. I had a Tignanello a couple of months ago and it was a miserable experience.
I'm also starting to drink more white - especially Burgundy and similar.
I'd like to ask this group for their thoughts on a few things. Ideally, wines that are available in the UK would be very much appreciated.
1) What other light reds would you recommend? Any unusual grapes (Central and Eastern European for example)?
2) White burgundy is expensive but I've had some magnificent white Burgundy style wines from elsewhere in the world at a fraction of the price. (Notably Quinta das Cerejeiras Grande Reserva Branco and a Neil Ellis Whitehall Chardonnay) Any other non-Burgundy recommendations that don't break the bank? (These are at a £20-£25 price point.
3) Finally, has anyone else suffered from this? The internet doesn't seem particularly helpful. Is it just something I have to live with? Anyone know of anything that helps with it?
Many thanks in advance for all of your thoughts.

Part 1 Part 2
Qui nunc it per iter tenebricosum Illuc, unde negant redire quemquam.
As indecipherable as that which comes after may be, I now know it is not a dreamless sleep. I watched as the bodily realm was gradually inundated with a thick mist. There laid my corpse at my feet. My head had catastrophically burst open into a tangle of blood and pulp, a blossoming lily with flesh for petals sunken into a pool of wine. It was impossible to tell where my forehead started and where my jaw ended. And yet, I felt neither nauseous nor anguished at the sight of my face reduced to a clutter of matter not even remotely classifiable as human. I felt nothing. I watched without understanding but without asking why. And I watched as Leth lowered his shotgun, bent over to pick up the blood-soaked shell and calmly walked back to the store, presumably to remove the remaining shells. I watched, until he too evaporated into the mist.
To think, that the reality no cantor or artist had ever depicted in the wholeness of its inexpressibility was in fact unutterable due to its mystery being so elementary. Litotes would be the only key to describe what I’d seen. A drab absence of light that cast no shade in the darkest of brightnesses, where everything could be seen at once in a missing horizon while being unable to see farther than one’s nose, where one segment of space could be crowded with sizeless entities while being left fumbling in its empty geometry. I felt as though the name and the age and the potentiality and the actuality of the animal that others had known as the man enveloped by the tendrils of the woman who gave me birth were prohibited from inhabiting that insubstantial volume, within which I understood that it mattered not whether I laid on cold, uneven pavement, obliterated by the most destructive of wounds, or peacefully on a hospital bed surrounded by familiar faces, and that said volume’s ultimate flattening nature elevated my condition to the universal; universality spelled not from the extraordinariness of my current state, rather from the banality in which we all voyage to the certainty. As I said, the most beatific yet foreboding paradox we learn to forget is that of the intricacy of arrival and the clarity of departure. The absolute. Was it?
I aimlessly wandered through the mist. My movements were soundless. I wasn’t even sure how I was dawdling. I couldn’t feel my legs nor my body, for that matter. A creature compressed into a point moving uniformly. Was I moving at all? I was certain to be exerting friction against something, yet it comprised a fluctuant orbit around that pale ubiquity. My surroundings remained perfectly stagnant at all times, no gradations of light and shadow, as if I were staring at a blank image without blinking. My space-time perception had been irreparably marred. Minutes, days, months, years. I had no idea how long I’d been mechanically roaming within there, but I eventually sensed the slightest variation of color silhouetted deep into the unknown. A primordial curiosity knocked me out of my lifeless vagrancy. I made my way towards it.
I hadn’t noticed how unbearably nil my field of view was until the spot ahead of me grew larger. I noticed my dawdling had hatched into a slight spurt. Even at the edge of reality, can we not give up on the urge to conquer the unknown. Such is the most pristine quality of humans. The dot morphed into a bipedal figure as I closed in on it. I noticed it too was advancing towards me. Its teardrop-shaped head slowly split apart into an elongated horseshoe silhouette. From its seemingly rigid stance sprouted drapes fluttering about, according to its march. I slowed down and kept approaching it. Its humanoid form now flickered in the mist like a dark flame. It appeared to be quite shorter than me, about the same height as my chin. A newfound suspension had reignited my being long forgotten. The figure proceeded courtly. Collision inbound. My heart pumping thrill in my vacant essence. Until it fully emerged from the mist. I stopped abruptly, unable to comprehend. A fragment of my lost self? If so, why embody such an insignificant one over countless others?
“Why, my most excellent friend, do you stall now that this pall of dubiety has been lifted for us to converse? Come forth”, it spoke. A feminine voice erasing all perplexity. Benign but firm. It gestured for me to come closer. I stared with my eyes wide open. Everything crumbled to reveal the memory of a stubborn looking hand-drawn character standing in lush vegetation, a javelin-like needle drawn, advising me of the opposite. Through those same crevices out of which peered that vision I felt myself cascading back to replenish the endless void around me. Come no closer, ghost.
…Sed circumsiliens modo huc modo illuc Ad solam dominam usque pipiabat.
Hornet stood before me, her eyes sinking into her shell locked into mine. Though bottomless, I could read a sincere interest in her still gaze. She was wearing a white garment fastened with a girdle, her left hand retracted to hold the overfold. I could barely process what had happened up to that point. A videogame character, serving as some sort of seraphic entity in the afterlife. I couldn’t have strayed further away from rationality, I thought, without having to wind up on my way back. At the apex of my bewilderment she sneered.
“Tell me, what is it that you seek here?” It was uncanny to hear her voice speaking in perfect English, only knowing it through various war cries and incomprehensible speech.
Of the vehement swarm of words that were struggling to break through my teeth, not even one could roll down the palate. Hornet looked at me patiently.
“Let us rest here so that we may discuss without worrying about our bodily nuisances”, she continued. She lifted her garment and sat with her legs crossed. She cast no shadow that hinted at a hard surface even being there. I hesitantly kneeled down, my stomach now a turbine fearing the inevitable plunge into the infinity below. To my surprise, I felt an impossibly smooth pavement underneath my knees. No furrows to distract me. Not even the concept.
“So tell me, what is it that you seek here?”
“...How are you real?”
“To such a question I do not hold an answer, but in order for me to better submit to it and find one I would like you to explain what reality is.”
"This is not real. I'm dead and I'm talking to a character from a videogame! It’s impossible!"
"Although you seem to have initially mistaken substance for accident by elevating 'this' to an axiom of unreality, even though it is a declension of it, I rejoice at your final answer: if I understand you correctly, reality is not impossibility."
"Yes!"
"Therefore reality is possibility?"
"It must be. What else can it be?"
"A magnificent answer, but I feel that my brute ignorance is pawing to refute its unimpeachability. Tell me, do you not believe that as you get up in the morning, along with you arises the realization that somewhere else in the world, on another continent, for example, life continues to mill unequivocally, and with it all its possibilities?"
"Of course."
"While not knowing yourself what exactly those possibilities are?"
"Obviously."
"However, you take it for granted that such possibilities are reality, given that reality is possibility."
"Where are you going with this?"
"Well, if I told you that tomorrow said continent will sink into the ocean, would you believe me?"
"No."
"Why? Is it not also a possibility?"
"Because you have no objective evidence."
"And therefore real?"
"Indeed."
"So you are unwilling to accept the possibility I suggested because you have no reality on which to base yourself?"
"That's right."
"Then, my dearest friend, it follows that reality is that which is not possible."
"Wait, that's not what I meant. 'Possible', as in feasible, not statistically probable. They are synonyms."
"Didn't you just answer yourself? I beg you, my most splendid companion, tell me what reality is so that I may answer you."
"...Alright. Then reality is that which is current, every event and every entity that fills each instant in life."
"Surely it is plain that you know best, and this new definition seems to further quench my thirst for knowledge; but tell me, if it is every instant that is filled with reality, does that perhaps include future ones?"
"Necessarily."
"And do you happen to know how these actual events and entities will occupy the next instant?"
"No."
"So it remains a possibility until you have reached it."
"Apparently so..."
"But reality is that which is not possible."
"...Jesus Christ."
“Yet, according to your definition, for something to be real it must be able to fill every instant of life without exception, but according to what you say now future instants are but possibilities, and there will always be new ones left once the previous ones are turned to present; furthermore, since reality must occupy every instant of life, are not past ones also included?”
“Yes.”
“How can you be certain of it?”
“Because I know that they are not possibilities, since they happened.”
“But is not reality that which is current?”
“Alright, I didn't express myself well, but you know what I meant...”
“Do you thus believe that the past can be and not be the same thing at the same time?”
“No, but...”
“Therefore, insofar as I am allowed to replenish my drained basin of ignorance, reality is not that which is current, because it would involve the impossible. However, if it entails the impossible and therefore that which is not possible, would it not perhaps be reality, for reality is that which is not...”
“...Alright, I get it! I guess you are real then. There, settled. But this isn’t the Hornet I know. Not that I know of any Hornet other than a fictional, scripted one.”
“Were you expecting me to be preaching extravagant, blathering deities, wafted in a basket at the end of a rope?”
Hornet didn’t break eye contact once throughout the whole ordeal. I felt too muddled to try and elaborate the socratic dialogue I’d just taken part in. I torpidly stood back up, Hornet mimicking me although with far less apathy. She sighed and aimlessly contemplated the featureless landscape around us, nodding slightly. Her sphinxeus visage shielded an apparent turmoil.
“It appears to me”, she continued, “that you, as any man who’s worthy of calling himself so, long for the begrimed settlement we’ve yet to live in, and with it all the people who’ve yet to beget truth. For research isn’t over. It never is. The unexamined life is not worth living.”
“Maybe. What now?”
Hornet turned to me and took a few steps forward. She raised her right hand and examined it. I watched her curl it into a fist and unravel it as her inky, skeletal fingers shot back out. Within her frail but almost armored looking hand she seemed to be fighting a voiceless idea shrieking for a cause obedient to outside laws. She crimped her fingers slightly before holding her hand out to me.
“Now the hour of parting has arrived. I to die, you to live. Which of us goes to the better lot is known to no one, but the Higher Being.”
I stared at her puzzled. Her unreadable expression fixed into my soul. She ceremonially stuck her hand closer for me to hold. At the time I couldn’t have known I was about to sign an armistice between life and death. And with it I would’ve paid the price of seizing my existence from the end by irreversibly butchering it. I skeptically raised my hand until my fingertips brushed hers. Cold as metal, yet alive. Our hands limply wrapped around one another. A hiss pierced through my eardrums. They were melting. Hornet was launched nowhere into the horizon as everything folded in on itself. My eyes rolled out of my navel while my knees erupted from my shoulder blades. My epidermis stretched and torn while my bones rumbled inside my throat. My hands boiling hot and my feet icy-cold. I attempted to let out a cry of torment, but only my veins and fingernails branched out of my nostrils. Everything spun, everything railed, everything compressed. And then I was lying in the cold.
In nova fert animus mutatas dicere formas corpora [...]
Light was all I could see. Intolerably bright. My ears were ringing. I felt wrong. Something was missing. I was no longer in that void. I felt the biting rubbing of pavement along with an unpleasant, viscid sensation against my back. There were furrows. My limbs both laxed and stiff. I smelled the known breeze of the night. My only relief. The light’s fringes progressively withered back into their sources. Lamp posts. The neon signboard of the 7-11. The fluorescent lamps imbed above the fuel dispensers. I wanted to breathe out, only to find myself unable to. As if my vocal cords had been transplanted. I strained harder and felt a sting in my lungs. What left my mouth wasn’t me. An unfamiliar, brittle grunt faded into the night. My heart dropped. What happened.
I tried lifting my head, to which a man cried out nearby. His shout rattled to the deepest of my entrails. I caught a glance of Leth hurriedly picking up his shotgun and recoiling backwards. He was standing to my side. My view was yet too murky to make out his facial features, but within the washed-out shape of his pupils there ignited emotion far too lively for the dull eyes I’d seen on him earlier. A nude, primal terror sparked by something he couldn’t fathom. Looking at him, I slowly attempted to adjust into a sitting position. A blinding flash and a blare. My head hit the pavement. I was rammed to the ground by his shot. I let out a moan, more in shock than in agony. While unaltered in the nature of its intonation, it sounded horrifyingly mellifluous. I raised my hand to my forehead. It was an instinctual, usual movement. My dread only grew upon realizing I was dabbing my jaw. Phantom pain scorched where my wrist should’ve been. Above my fingers.
I heard a thud and a clank immediately followed by a distressed yelp. My head snapped to Leth's direction. My neck tingled. He'd tripped, dropping his shotgun. He was facing the opposite way. The shotgun awaiting in between. I had to. I got on my knees. I immediately lost my balance and fell flat on my face. I pushed myself upwards with my elbows. Red cloth hanging from my shoulders. Thin, jet black arms. What happened. What is happening. I looked up at Leth panickedly turning around. He writhed and crawled to the shotgun. I scraped against the pavement with my knees, sometimes merely grazing it. Why. I proceeded on all fours, uncoordinated. Leth wriggled desperately. Bulging eyes. Spitting. Grunting. I extended my arm, certain that I was now able to grab the shotgun’s stock. I did not reach. I screeched in frustration. In confusion. Who is this. Not male. I hurled my body forwards with one final effort as Leth stretched his hand to the barrel. I felt the grip of the stock and pulled backwards. I curled into a fetal position. Leth’s forfeited expression. A blinding flash and a blare.
My chest puffed and deflated erratically, my breastbone aching from the recoil. Leth tumbled to the ground. I gasped for air, finally uncaring for the eerily feminal timbre of my voice. My throat itched whenever I exhaled. What happened. The answer laid right below my chin. Too afraid to know. The unknown. ‘Such is the most pristine quality of humans.’ I stared at the lights hanging over me. Please, if there is a God. Let this be false. I gathered all courage in my body and glanced at my torso, holding my breath. My veins petrified. I was wearing a red gown with no sleeves, from the bottom of which emerged two slender yet sturdy legs black as ink, terminating into footless tips. Far too short. The ceiling lights shone against them. To my horror, the left one shuddered as I twitched. I looked at my hand. The same hand I was holding just moments earlier. Shaking, I let it glide across my face. There were no bumps of any sort. My hand kept gliding upwards. I quivered, nestling my limbs towards my core in disquiet. How. Why.
I wailed hushedly and awkwardly stood up. I was much shorter than I should’ve been. My eye level where my center of gravity once was. I tiptoed to the 7-11’s entrance one step at a time. My body didn’t occupy the amount of space it should've. Everything felt wrong. I spotted a dot cloddishly approaching in the reflection of the glass door. The irony. I bumbled towards it, my proprioception skewed beyond reparation. Is this it. Is that what my life is now. I ignored Leth as I almost reached the door. Do I have to learn to live like this. What am I. How can I learn. The dot started dyeing itself in a sickening, unmistakable hue of white and red. Why me. How. What am I. I’m not real. I’m human. What is this. Why.
I stood before the glass door. Hornet was staring back from the reflection.
TO BE CONTINUED

The root potentials are not differentiated. By reciting the Name, a rebirth is confirmed.
‘differentiated’ here means pick and choose. The Buddha does not pick and choose the root potential of living beings. As long as he recites Namo Amitabha Buddha, he will attain a rebirth.
第十章 不擇根機 稱名必生
「擇」是選擇、挑選。對任何根機的眾生不加選擇，只要稱念彌陀名號，必得往生。

1. The Dharma Door of Amitabha recitation pervasively gathers in the myriad potentials.

(1) The doubts of living beings
The Pure Land which we desire to be born is truly pure and adorned. How about every one of us? After we have learnt the Buddha Dharma, we contemplate ourselves especially and we know that we are the defiled man who is filthy and sinful, who is impure with greed, hatred and delusion. After further thinking, doubts arise in us: I am this defile man of impurities, with heavy karmic hindrances. Are you sure I can attain a rebirth in such a Pure World of Ultimate Bliss? Standing from the angle of a mundane, this doubt is unavoidable.
一、念佛法門廣攝萬機
（一）眾生的疑慮
我們所嚮往的淨土，是那樣清淨莊嚴，而我們每個人自身呢，特別是學佛之後反觀內省，就知道自己污穢、罪垢，貪瞋癡三毒不淨。這樣想一想，難免起疑惑心：像我這樣一個染污不淨、業障深重的眾生，果然能往生那麼清淨的極樂世界嗎？
站在凡夫這一邊，難免有這樣的疑問。
(2) ‘living beings of the ten directions’ refer to the living beings in the nine Dharma realms.
In other Dharma Doors, only the man with superior good roots and sharp wisdom are able to cultivate the path. Those who are with inferior root potential and low mentality are unable to learn the Dharma. Anyhow, some living beings will be left out. But in the Dharma Door of Amitabha recitation, it pervasively brings in living beings of the superior root nature, the mediocre and the inferior ones. None will be left out. It is the Dharma Door for all men. So, it is thus described, ‘The one Dharma which gathers in the myriad potentials.’ The six syllables Name is the one Dharma which can rescue all living beings.
‘The one dharma which gathers in the myriad potentials’ has its evidence derived from the 18th Vow when it is thus stated, ‘living beings of the ten directions.’
（二）「十方眾生」即九法界眾生
其他法門，上根利智能夠修學，下根劣智就學不來，總有眾生遺漏在外。可是念佛法門，上、中、下三根普攝，無一人不能修，無一人不當修，所以是「一法攝萬機」——以六字名號一法，救度一切眾生。
「一法攝萬機」的根本依據，就是第十八願當中的「十方眾生」。
‘living beings of the ten directions’ is an expansive scope. ‘Ten directions’ means it is not limited to our Saha world only. It is inclusive of all the empty space in the ten directions, all the living beings in all the worlds pervade the Dharma realm. ‘Living beings’: Other than the Buddha Dharma Realm, the other nine dharma realms belong to living beings. These living beings include the Bodhisattvas of the Equal Enlightenment and also those in the Avici hell. Everyone is inclusive.
「十方眾生」包括得很廣泛。「十方」，不限於我們娑婆世界，而是十方盡虛空、遍法界一切世界的眾生；「眾生」，除了佛法界，九法界都屬於眾生，上至等覺菩薩，下至阿鼻地獄眾生，通通包括在內。
In the passage on Vows, these words are stated, ‘except for those who have committed the five rebellious acts, who slander the Proper Dharma.’ It seems that the Buddha will not save those who have committed the five rebellious acts, who have slandered the Dharma. But Great Master Shandao has clarified this point based on the Contemplation Sutra, the lowest position of the inferior grade, saying that these are words of preventive measure, giving warning to the living beings so that they will not commit such severe offences. But if they have committed these offences, the Buddha will still save them.
願文裡雖然有「唯除五逆，誹謗正法」八個字，似乎五逆謗法的人不救，但善導大師已經根據《觀經》下品下生說明這是抑止意，警示眾生不要犯此重罪；如果已經犯了，還是要救。
In the Adornment Sutra, another version of the Sutra of Immeasurable Lifespan, it has clearly stated the rescue of living beings in the three evil paths:
Living beings from the realms of hell, hungry ghosts and animals are born in my Land after receiving my Dharma Transformation. They will attain Annutaraksamyaksambodhi very soon.
《無量壽經》異譯本《莊嚴經》明確說明救度三惡道眾生：
地獄、餓鬼、畜生，
皆生我剎，受我法化，
不久悉成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。
In the ‘Great Amitabha Sutra’ it is thus stated, ‘All the man and devas, the flying insects and wiggling worms, who on hearing my Name are filled with compassion. They are excited and joyful. All of them are able to be born in my Land.
《大阿彌陀經》說：
諸天人民、
蜎飛蠕動之類，（蜎ㄩㄢ；蠕ㄖˊㄨ）
聞我名字，
莫不慈心，歡喜踴躍者，
皆令來生我國。
‘The flying insects, the wiggling worms’ refers to the worms which fly and crawl. These living beings are most stupid and deluded. Throughout hundreds of thousand Kalpas, they are unable to leave transmigration. Dharmakara Bhikshus talks about these living beings and says, ‘They will all be born in my Land.’
「蜎飛蠕動」是指飛蟲和爬蟲。像這樣的眾生，是最極愚癡的，百劫千劫無法出離。而這樣的眾生，法藏比丘說「皆令來生我國」。
2.Great Master Fa Zhao’s verses: Transforming the tiles into gold
(1) Prelude
At the causal ground, that Buddha has brought forth these magnificent vows, ‘I will surely come forth to welcome you if you have heard my Name, if you are calling my Name.’ He does not differentiate if you are poor or rich, if you are with low mentality or are very talented. He does not differentiate if you are greatly learned, that you have upheld the pure precepts. He does not differentiate if you have transgressed the precepts and are heavy in sinful roots. As long as you turn over a new leaf to recite lots of Namo Amitabha Buddha, even the broken tiles can be transformed into gold.
This is the Great Master Fa Zhao who has made use of the verses of Great Master Ci Min to explain the meaning of the 18th Vow in the Sutra of Immeasurable Lifespan.
二、法照大師「變瓦成金之偈」
（一）引文
彼佛因中立弘誓，聞名念我總迎來；
不簡貧窮將富貴，不簡下智與高才；
不簡多聞持淨戒，不簡破戒罪根深；
但使迴心多念佛，能令瓦礫變成金。
這是法照大師引用慈愍大師的偈文，解釋《無量壽經》第十八願的含義。
(2) Explanation
（二）釋義
‘At the causal ground, that Buddha has brought forth these magnificent vows’: That Buddha Amitabha Buddha was known as Dharmakara Bhikshu. He has brought forth the expansive and magnificent great Vows. Generally speaking, the magnificent vows refer to the forty-eight Vows. Here, Great Master Fa Zhao has specially pointed out the 18th Vow. ‘Magnificent’ means expansive and limitless, inclusive of all living beings. ‘On my attainment of Buddhahood, if…’ refers to the vows. ‘if they cannot attain a rebirth, I will not certify to Proper Enlightenment.’ ‘If living beings in the ten directions cannot attain a rebirth when they call my Name, I swear that I will not accomplish Buddhahood!’ This is called ‘swearing’. It is known as the ‘taking an oath, making Vows.’ It is a serious matter.
「彼佛因中立弘誓」：彼阿彌陀佛因中叫法藏比丘，建立了弘廣的大願。「弘誓」，總的來講，指四十八願；法照大師在這裡特別指第十八願。「弘」是廣大無邊，任何眾生都包含在內。第十八願：「設我得佛」就是願；「若不生者，不取正覺」——「如果十方眾生稱我名號不得往生，我誓不成佛！」這叫「誓」，合稱「誓願」，非常殷重。
‘I will surely come forth to welcome you if you have heard my Name, if you are calling my Name.’ This is a brief explanation of the 18th Vow. The merits and virtues of hearing my Name is inconceivable. Living beings who recite my Name Namo Amitabha Buddha are all welcome by him to his Western World of Ultimate Bliss. No one is left out. ‘surely’ means no one is left out.
「聞名念我總迎來」：這是簡略地解釋第十八願。聽聞我的名號功德不可思議，念我阿彌陀佛的名號的眾生，通通被迎接到西方極樂世界去，沒有一個遺漏在外。「總」是一個不漏。
Below, four verses are used to explain the ‘living beings of the ten directions’ in the 18th Vow.
‘He does not differentiate if you are poor or rich:’ ’differentiate’ means to pick and choose. ‘or’ means whether, either. Dharmakara Bhikshu has brought the vows, ‘I will surely come forth to welcome you if you have heard my Name, if you are calling my Name.’ He does not differentiate, choose or pick, saying, ‘This is a poor man. I will not save him. That is a rich man, I will save him.’ This is not the way! There is no differentiation in poverty and wealthiness.’ This is the meaning of ‘he does not differentiate if you are poor or rich’
下面用四句話解釋第十八願的「十方眾生」。
「不簡貧窮將富貴」：「簡」是挑選、揀擇，「將」是又、且。法藏比丘「聞名念我總迎來」的誓願，並不分別、挑選：「這個貧窮的，我不救；那個富貴的，我救」——不是這樣！沒有貧富的差別，這叫「不簡貧窮將富貴」。
‘If you are with low mentality or are very talented’: ‘with low mentality means a man with inferior root potential who is lacking in wisdom, who is not knowledgeable. ‘talented’ refers to a man with great wisdom, who is of superior root and sharp wisdom. According to Dharmakara Bhikshu, he has vowed that, ‘Whether you are with little wisdom or are very talented, if you have heard of my Name and are mindful of me, I will come forth to welcome every one of you.’
「不簡下智與高才」：「下智」，下等根機、智慧低劣、無智無識的人；「高才」，高等智慧、上根利智的人。法藏比丘的誓願，「不管是下智人、高才人，你聞名念我，我通通來迎」。
‘He does not differentiate if you are greatly learned, that you have upheld the pure precepts. He does not differentiate if you have transgressed the precepts and are heavy in sinful root.’：You are well-learned and you recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, I will come forth to welcome you. You have little learning but you recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, I also come forth to welcome you. You uphold the pure precepts strictly and recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, I will come forth to welcome you. If you have transgressed the precepts, that you are very sinful. But if you recite the Buddha’s Name, I will also come to welcome you. Amitabha Buddha does not choose and pick. He does not differentiate who you are as he bestows his Great Kindness equally to all. This resembles the sun which shines on the good men and it also shines on the evil men. Amitabha Buddha lights of kindness shine forth equally, taking pity on all Amitabha reciters, rescuing all Amitabha reciters. For a wealthy man whose richness is the greatest in the country, if he does not recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, he cannot attain a rebirth. For a beggar who does not have any money if he recites Namo Amitabha Buddha exclusively, he can arrive at the World of Ultimate Bliss.
「不簡多聞持淨戒，不簡破戒罪根深」：你廣學多聞念佛，我來迎；少學寡聞念佛，我也來迎。你嚴持淨戒念佛，我來迎；破戒罪深念佛，我也來迎。阿彌陀佛沒有選擇，沒有分別，平等大慈。如同太陽的光明，照著善人，也照惡人。阿彌陀佛平等慈光憐憫、救度一切念佛人。富翁，富可敵國，不念佛，不能往生；乞丐，不名一文，專修念佛，能到極樂世界。
‘As long as you turn over a new leaf to recite abundant Buddha’s Name,’ ‘As long as’ seems very simple. ‘As long as you act this way’. ‘Turning over a new leaf’ are important words. It means that you have a change of mind. You have turned around from the former thoughts which rely on self-effort. Now, you only rely on Amitabha Buddha. You do not feel inferior, neither do you become arrogant. All the poor men, rich people, men with little wisdom, talented men, men with wide learnings, with little learnings, people who uphold the precepts, who have transgressed the precepts should have a change in mind. ‘To recite lots of Namo Amitabha Buddha’ means to recite exclusively, continually. They enjoy and love to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha.
「但使迴心多念佛」：「但使」，聽起來很簡單，「你只要這樣」；「迴心」這兩個字很重要，迴心轉意，迴轉原來靠自己的心，來靠阿彌陀佛，既沒有下劣想，也不起高慢想。貧窮、富貴，下智、高才，多聞、寡聞，持戒、破戒，都要迴心。「多念佛」就是專念佛，相續念佛，念佛不嫌多。
‘lots’ is a general trend of practice, without limitation. This is because the root potential of living beings is different. Some are busy while others are relaxed. If we set ten thousand as lots of recitation, some might not reach it. While others might feel too little.
「多」，是一個大致的方向，沒有限定。因為眾生根機各有不等，時間各有忙閑，如果定一萬句為多，有人達不到，還有人嫌太少。
So, here is only a general trend in practice. We have to set a demand on oneself. As it is spoken by Great Master Shandao, ‘Setting a demand on yourself to recite diligently throughout the whole life.’ This is known as ‘lots of recitation.’
所以，這裡只是一個大方向，自己要求自己。像善導大師所說的「勵心克己，畢命為期」，這叫「多念佛」。
The poor man might feel this way, ‘I do not have money to accrue merits and virtues. I am afraid I cannot attain a rebirth just by reciting the Buddha’s Name.’ Is this the right way of thinking?’ The answer is no! We must turn around and let Amitabha Buddha decide, ‘I am poor and I cannot afford to give a lot. But I recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. Amitabha Buddha will surely come to welcome me!’ It is unnecessary to spend lots of money. Amitabha recitation is a Dharma Door that a poor man can afford to practise. We do not have to spend money to buy this Name. Talking about this, if we need to buy the six syllables Name, how much money should we spend? So, it is not because of being poor or rich. The poorer the man, the more we need to rescue him, to relieve him. Dharmakara Bhikshu has thus said,
‘In the immeasurable Kalpas, if I do not become a great donor to relieve the poor pervasively, I vow not to accomplish the Equal Enlightenment.’
貧窮的人會覺得「我沒有錢作功德，像我這樣光念佛怕不能往生吧」，這個心對不對呢？這個心不對！要迴轉過來，任憑阿彌陀佛：「我雖然窮，不能大布施，但是，我念阿彌陀佛，阿彌陀佛必定接引我！」不用花錢，窮人能修得起的法門，就是念佛法門。這句名號不用花錢買。話講回來，這句六字名號，如果花錢買，花多少錢能買得來呢？所以，不在於我們是貧窮還是富貴，甚至越是貧窮的越要救濟。法藏比丘說：
我於無量劫，不為大施主，
普濟諸貧苦，誓不成等覺。
All of us are the poor men who are lacking in wealth, lacking in merits and virtues. We do not have the merits and virtues of Dharma wealth. As long as we can recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha will rescue us to the World of Ultimate Bliss. If we have to rely on building the temples, cultivating the merits and virtues only we can arrive at the World of Ultimate Bliss, only the rich men are qualified to be born there. This is not the case.
不論在財富上，還是在功德上，我們都是窮人，沒有功德法財。只要念佛，阿彌陀佛就會救度我們到極樂世界去。如果靠建寺院、作功德才可以到極樂世界，那麼，只有富人才有資格了——不是這樣。
Even the rich men must also have a change of mind. As it is said, ‘It is not easy for the rich to practise the path.’ These words are true indeed. When a man is rich, he is high in status and he is honoured by others. It will be difficult for him to learn the Buddha Dharma. One reason is that he is very arrogant, feeling that he is higher than others, that he is very special. Another reason is it is not easy for him to encounter the genuinely Good Knowing Adviser. He might have many friends but they come not because of learning the path. They come for money. Internally, he is arrogant and externally, there is a lack in good affinities. Besides, as he is rich, happy and at ease, he will only fall into enjoyment. This is very difficult for him to cultivate the Path. The rich men feel this way, ‘I have donated lots of money. I have accrued lots of merits and virtues. So, I am qualified for a place in the World of Ultimate Bliss.’ Can this be the proper view? This is improper. He must have a change of mind, ‘Though I have cultivated lots of merits and virtues in the Buddha Door, they are the merits and virtues with leakage. They are incomparable to the merits and virtues of the six-syllables Buddha’s Name.’ So, a rich man must put down the mind to rely on his own effort. He must learn to be humble, to have a change of mind to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha sincerely.
富貴人，也要迴心。「富貴學道難」這句話確實不假。有錢，地位顯貴，難以學佛。一方面是因為他有驕慢心，覺得自己高人一等，比別人優越。另一方面不容易遇到真善知識，雖然有許多朋友，但不是為道而來，而是為錢而來。內存驕慢，外缺善緣，加上富樂自在，耽於享受，這樣學道就很困難。富貴人覺得「我布施了多少錢，作了多大的功德，所以我到極樂世界有分」，這樣的想法正確嗎？不正確。要迴心轉意：「縱然我在佛門裡作了功德，但這還是有為有漏的功德，與六字名號的功德無法相比。」所以，富貴人要把那種自我倚仗的心放下來，謙卑下來，迴心老實念佛。
A man with little wisdom is often enveloped in inferiority. He is thinking, ‘I am so stupid and deluded. I have no wisdom. How am I going to attain a rebirth?’ He must also have a change of mind. The rescue of Amitabha Buddha does not depend on how cultured you are, how many Sutras you have read, whether you are a university lecturer. These are not taking into consideration. Even though you are stupid, deluded, low and inferior, there is no difference for you to attain a rebirth in the Pure Land. People who are simple -minded, deluded, with little wisdom can believe in the Pure Land Dharma Door easily. Great Master Yin Guang has thus said, ‘Two types of people can have faith in the Pure Land Dharma Door easily. They can easily become the honest Amitabha reciters. Who are the two types of people? The first type is the wise men. The second type refers to people who are simple and a lack of wisdom. These are the two extremes: the wisest and stupidest.
下智的人往往心存卑劣：「我這樣愚癡，沒有智慧，怎麼能往生呢？」這樣的心要迴轉。阿彌陀佛的救度，不是看你有多少文化、讀了多少經典、是不是大學教授，不是看這些。雖然愚癡卑劣，往生淨土沒有差別。愚癡少智的人往往比較容易和淨土法門相應。印光大師講：淨土法門，兩種人最相應，最容易成為老實念佛人。哪兩種人呢？一種是上智的人，一種是下愚的人——最上智慧的和最下愚癡的，這兩個極端。
Only the wisest and the stupidest would practise Amitabha recitation persistently.
Once these two types of people are resolute and firm in the exclusive cultivation of Amitabha recitation. No one can change them. Why is this so? The wisest men have widely studied all the teachings and Sutras, penetrating all the Dharma Doors. They know that only the Dharma Door of Amitabha recitation is the best. So, they can be honest in their practice, reciting the Name of the Buddha, relying totally on the Original Vows of Amitabha Buddha without taking a side glance. These wisest men are such like Nagarjuna Bodhisattva, Vasubandhu Bodhisattva, Great Master Tan Luang, Great Master Dao Chuo, Great Master Shandao. Why do those who are stupidest recite Namo Amitabha Buddha honestly? They say, ‘I do not know much. I can only recite Namo Amitabha Buddha!’ Can you still remember the story I have told you previously, the story ‘Do have mercy on me, Amitabha Buddha’?
唯上智與下愚不移。
這兩種人一旦專修念佛了，他的志向堅定，不能改變。為什麼呢？上等智慧的，廣研一切經教，通達一切法門，知道唯有念佛法門最好，所以他能老老實實專念這句名號，仰仗彌陀本願，心無旁騖，像龍樹菩薩、天親菩薩、曇鸞大師、道綽大師、善導大師。下愚的人為什麼可以做老實念佛人呢？「我什麼都不會，我只有念佛！」上次講了「阿彌陀佛你可饒了我」的故事，大家還記得嗎？
There was an elderly lady who had put in lots of effort trying to attain a rebirth. She heard people saying this, ‘If you cannot recite the Sutras, you cannot attain a rebirth.’ She was illiterate. She did not want to trouble others to teach her just in case they might get irritated. So, she asked her daughter, ‘Please check the dictionary for me and tell me how to pronounce this word.’
Her daughter is not a Buddhist. She asked, ‘Mum, you are so old already. Are you taking examination in the Buddhist University?’
‘You do not understand! Just tell me how to pronounce it.’ So, she spent lots of effort learning Amitabha Sutra. Then she learnt a Mantra. It is so hard for her. Later, she had a chance to learn the Pure Land Principles as explained by Great Master Shandao, and understood that whatever kind of potential a person can be, if he recites Namo Amitabha Buddha exclusively, he will attain a rebirth. Immediately, she turned to the western direction and hit her head hard on the ground three times, ‘Oh, Amitabha Buddha, you have mercy on me! You have mercy on me!’ For the sake of attaining a rebirth, she copied the Sutra every day, memorized the Sutra, checked the dictionary. It is truly hard for her. She was so afflicted.
有位老太婆，為了往生，費了好大勁。聽說不會誦經不能往生，她又不識字，問人家又怕人家不耐煩，就問她女兒：「幫我查查字典，告訴我這個字怎麼讀。」
她女兒還沒入佛門，說：「媽，你這麼大年紀了，你還要考佛教大學啊？」
「你不懂！你告訴我怎麼念就好了。」她費了好大勁，學了《阿彌陀經》，還學了一個咒，非常辛苦。後來她聽了善導大師闡釋的淨土教理，得知任何根機專修念佛一定往生，她馬上向西方磕了三個響頭：「阿彌陀佛，你可饒了我了！你可饒了我了！」她為了求往生，每天抄啊，背啊，查字典啊，非常艱難，非常苦惱。
Then, there is another lotus friend. What does she study? She is nearly seventy and she is learning the ‘Expansive Treatise of the Sequential Bodhi Path.’ She has already no time to learn all these! What time does she have, with impermanence before her eyes, with the yellow mud nearly covering up her neck? What she should swiftly do is to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha! For the sake of doing her assignment, every night she studies the book and takes notes. The next day, she must answer questions. She said, ‘I wake up at three every morning. At night, I have to study until very late. I was so tired, sweating all over!’ All these happen just because she can read. If she cannot read, she will surely recite Namo Amitabha Buddha honestly, am I right? This happens all because she does not understand the root, the source of the Dharma Door. If she can understand, people with little wisdom can simply recite Namo Amitabha Buddha just like us, in accord with our identity. This is good enough.
還有一位蓮友，學什麼呢？快七十歲了，在學《菩提道次第廣論》。學這些，來不及了！無常就在眼前，你現在黃土都快埋到脖子了，哪來得及啊？要趕緊念佛！結果她為了交作業，每天晚上都要看書，還要做筆記，第二天要回答問題。她說：「三點鐘就要起床，晚上有時要學到半夜，累得渾身是汗，太累了！」就因為她認識幾個字，她要是不認識這幾個字，不就老實念佛了嗎？這都是不瞭解法門的根源。瞭解了，下智的人就以我們的身分老實念佛就好。
In Xuan Cheng, an old lady by the Name Yao Chun Lin attained a rebirth in the Pure Land at 84. She is an illiterate and she is very pious. As her ancestors have faith in the Buddha, she is influenced by the Buddha teaching from a very young age. But she does not understand the Buddha’s principles and she only knows how to pray with incense and bowing. During the Cultural revolution, no one is allowed to believe in the Buddha, no one can make offerings to the Buddha. So, secretly she burnt incense in the hole of the mud stove, to make offerings to Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. As the kitchen stove belongs to the Kitchen God, she prayed to the Kitchen God and said, ‘Kitchen God Bodhisattva. I do not have a place to burn incense for Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. Do you mind if I burn the incense at your place?’ It looks as though she is very stupid. Actually, she is very kind, abiding by her position. After the Cultural Revolution, people are free to have their own faith. At the beginning, she was quite worried, that the law of the Government prohibits her faith. So, she still conducts her prayer secretly. After some time, her daughter told her, ‘What era is it now, that you are still hiding your prayers? Now, we are free to believe in the Buddha. Mother should simply make offerings to the Buddha openly.’ Only then did she bring the Bodhisattva out to make offerings. But she still does not know the aim of learning the Buddha Dharma. She only knows she must be kind and accrue virtues, besides helping others. Later, a lotus friend told her, ‘Old lady is so sincere in your prayers. How come you do not recite Namo Amitabha Buddha?’
宣城有位老太太叫姚春林，八十四歲往生淨土。她一個大字不識，人很虔誠，因為祖上信佛，所以從小受過佛教的影響，但是不明佛理，只是燒香拜拜。「文革」時期不准信佛，不准供佛。她就在土灶的鍋洞裡偷偷地點香供觀音菩薩。因為灶上屬於灶王爺的地盤，她就跟灶王爺打招呼說：「灶王菩薩，我沒有地方給觀音菩薩燒香，就借你這個地方燒一燒，你沒有意見吧？」她這個心，好像挺愚鈍，其實很善良，很本分。「文革」之後，信仰自由了，一開始她還有點怕，還怕政策再不讓信佛，還是偷偷的。日子久了，她的女兒說：「這都什麼年代了，你還偷偷摸摸的？現在信佛自由了，你可以放心大膽供佛了。」這樣她才請菩薩來供。但是，她還是不知道學佛的目的，只知道行善積德，為人要善良。後來一位蓮友對她說：「老人家這麼虔誠！你怎麼不知道念佛啊？」
She asked, ‘What Buddha should I recite?’
‘Recite Namo Amitabha Buddha!’
‘Oh! Recite Amitabha Buddha, but I am praying to Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva.’
‘Besides making offerings to Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, you should recite Amitabha Buddha, to seek a rebirth in the Western World of Ultimate Bliss.’ Only then that she managed to hear about the World of Ultimate Bliss. At that time, she was already eighty-one -year- old. After another two months only then she began to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha at home, phrase after phrase. Besides, she also got herself a recital device. She still continued to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. But in her heart, there is still some doubts. A lotus friend came to tell me, ‘The elderly lady Yao is a very pious woman. But she is still very worried about her qualification to go to the World of Ultimate Bliss. Besides, she has not met with any left home people her whole life. Now, she is very ill. I think it will not take long. Can Shifu go to see her as she wishes so much to see a Shifu.’ I listened to this and felt that she was a worthy lady. I went to see her. On seeing me, she put her palms together respectfully and we started chatting.
She said, ‘I am afraid that I am not qualified. I am illiterate. I do not know any Sutras either. Do you think Amitabha Buddha want people like me?’
I told her, ‘Yes, Amitabha Buddha wants you! As long as you recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, Amitabha Buddha will take all in! He welcomes you to go as you are his precious child!’
On hearing this, she was so happy and said, ‘It is so good! It is so good! It is so good!’ She exclaimed three times. You see, this is having ripe good roots. After hearing my words, she has no doubts at all. She continues to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha whole-heartedly.
她問：「念什麼佛啊？」
「念阿彌陀佛！」
「哦！念阿彌陀佛——我供的是觀音菩薩。」
「供觀音菩薩，你也要念阿彌陀佛，要求生西方極樂世界。」她這才聽說極樂世界。這個時候，她已經八十一歲了。又過了兩個月，她才開始念南無阿彌陀佛，一句一句在家裡念，還請了念佛機。念歸念，她心裡還是有疑惑。一位蓮友就來跟我講：「這位姚老太太，人很虔誠，但是就怕自己不夠格，不能到極樂世界。另外，她一輩子沒有見過出家人，她現在病得很重，估計差不多快要走了。師父是不是去看看她，她很想見見出家人。」我一聽，感覺她很可貴，我就去了。她一看見出家人，就恭敬合掌，然後就跟我聊上了。
她說：「我怕不行啊，我一個字也不認識，什麼經都不會，像我這樣的人，阿彌陀佛要嗎？」
我說：「阿彌陀佛要啊！你只要念佛，阿彌陀佛一個不漏！非常歡迎你去，把你當寶貝！」
她一聽就高興了：「那就好！那就好！那就好！」連講三遍。你看，這就是善根成熟了，講了她就不懷疑，就專心念這句名號。
She was down with the last stage of liver cancer. Liver cancer (Hepatocellular carcinoma) is a very painful disease. But she did not have the pain. She only felt numbness in the area around the liver. When the two daughters came home, she would ask them to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. One day, the two daughters were sitting by her side. The younger daughter recited softly but the eldest daughter was silent. The old lady was not happy, asking her the reason for not reciting. The eldest daughter was shameful when her mother asked her and answered, ‘Mother, I recited in my heart.’
她是肝癌晚期——肝癌是很痛的，但是她身上一點痛苦都沒有，只是肝部有點麻木的感覺。兩個女兒一回來，她就叫她們念佛。一天，兩個女兒在旁邊，小女兒小聲念，大女兒沒張口，老太太就不高興了，問她怎麼不念佛。大女兒被媽媽這一問，不好意思了，說：「媽，我在心裡念。」
‘What do you mean you are reciting with your heart? Why can’t you open your mouth?’ She did not allow her to recite in her mind, asking her to open her mouth to recite.
Her children are mostly very filial. Once they reached home, she would say, ‘Everyone recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. Do not talk other nonsense.’ So, everyone also recited Namo Amitabha Buddha. After sometimes, she was too ill. The lotus friends went over to conduct aided recitation. At that time, the weather was especially hot, around August. The lotus friends recited six syllable words she would recite six syllable words. The lotus friends recited four syllable words she would recite four syllable words, ‘Amitabha, Amitabha… ‘When the recitation was loud, she would be loud too. Sometimes, she even sat up to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha, following our recitation. In such a situation, it looked as though she was leading the lotus friends to recite Amitabha Buddha. Though the weather was so hot, lotus friends who joined the aided recitation said instead, ‘This is the only old lady who have made us so energetic in aided recitation!’ No one was talking. Everyone recited Namo Amitabha Buddha for the whole session.
「什麼在心裡念？你為什麼不能開口啊？」她不許她在心裡念，叫她開口念。
她家裡的孩子都挺孝順的。一回到家裡，她就說：「你們都念佛，其他事不要閒扯。」大家都念佛。這樣過了一段時間，說是不行了，蓮友們去助念。那時候天氣特別熱，我記得是八月分。蓮友助念，她隨你怎麼念：你唱六個字，她也唱六個字；你念四個字，她也念四個字，「阿彌陀佛，阿彌陀佛……」；你要是念大聲，她也念大聲。有時候她還坐起來念佛，跟著我們的聲音。那種情形，簡直就是她在帶蓮友念佛。雖然天那麼熱，助念的蓮友卻說：「這樣的老太婆，我們為她助念，感到就是有勁！」大家一句閒話都沒有，一句佛號念到底。
I was getting ready to go to Nanking the next day. So, I do not have the chance to send her. On that day itself, she passed away early in the morning. Later, I went over to see her and she looked very good. She had passed away in the most supreme way, in the most adorned manner! Her hands and bones were softer than baby just as if she was boneless. Everyone went forth to shake hands with her. After the cremation, there appeared the relic, the relic flowers. After such an experience, her two daughters started to have faith in the Buddha. The whole family including the old and young members, males and females come to a few tens in number take vegetarian food for forty -nine days on her behalf. She is truly a very wonderful lady! This is a lady with low wisdom. She is illiterate but she has attained a rebirth in the Pue Land. So, we can see it does not depend on our cultural level to attain a rebirth.
我當時要準備第二天去南京，就沒有機會送她走。就是那一天，她清早往生了。後來我去看她，她的面色、氣韻非常好，走得非常殊勝，非常莊嚴！手和骨節簡直比嬰兒還柔軟，就好像沒有骨頭一樣，所有的人都跑去跟她握手。火化之後，還得到舍利子、舍利花。有了這個經歷，她的兩個女兒都開始信佛了，家裡的男女老少，大大小小一共幾十口人，都為她吃素四十九天。所以，她也是很了不起的！這就是下智的人、沒有文化的人往生淨土。可見，不是靠我們的文化程度去往生。
There is another interesting story. In Zhejiang, Cixi, there is a Upasika by the surname Yan. Her hometown is Zhejiang Yu Yao. Her neighbour at her hometown is an old lady, by the surname Chen. So, she calls her Chen Po. Chen Po is different from other people. Ever since she was young, Upasika Yan has been seeing Chen Po enjoy Amitabha recitation. She recites on her own, without any guidance. Anyway, who is going to teach her Amitabha recitation? Maybe it is passed down from her ancestors, that she knows there is the Buddha Dharma. But she does not know about the attainment of a rebirth in the World of Ultimate Bliss. She only likes to recite, ‘Amitabha, Amitabha, Amitabha…’throughout the days and nights. One day, Upasika Yan has learnt the Buddha Dharma and she thinks of the old lady in her hometown. She went home to visit her mother. Then she said to Chen Po, ‘A Po, it is good to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha! Do you know about the World of Ultimate Bliss?’
還有一個故事也很生動。在浙江慈溪，有一位姓嚴的居士，老家是浙江余姚。她老家隔壁有一位阿婆，姓陳，她就喊她「陳婆」。這位陳婆跟別人不一樣，嚴居士小的時候就看見陳婆喜歡念佛。她念佛也沒有人教，那時候誰教她念佛呢？她大概 也是祖上帶來的，知道有佛法，但是不知道往生極樂世界，就喜歡念佛，「阿彌陀佛，阿彌陀佛，阿彌陀佛……」一天到晚念。嚴居士後來學佛了，就想起老家還有這麼一位老太婆，回去探望母親的時候，她就對陳婆講：「阿婆，你念佛好啊！你知道極樂世界嗎？」
Chen Po answered, ‘I do not know.’ Upasika Yan is very expedient in her way. She knows A Po believes that a man will go to hell after his death. So, she asked, ‘Do you know after passing away, we must go to see the King Yama?’ ‘Yes, I know.’
陳婆回答：「我不知道。」
嚴居士比較善巧，她知道阿婆相信人死後有下地獄這回事，就問：「你知道人死了要去閻羅王那裡嗎？」
「那我知道。」
Again, she asked, ‘Are you afraid to go to see the King Yama?’ She answered, ‘That is not good! I do not want to go there.’
She said, ‘The World of Ultimate Bliss is a good place. It is better than the heavens. If you go to the World of Ultimate Bliss, then, you do not have to go to the place of King Yama. Do you want to go?’
‘Yes, of course, I want to go!’
她又問：「去閻羅王那裡怕不怕？」
「那當然不好！不願意。」
她說：「極樂世界是非常好的地方，比天上還好。到了極樂世界就不用到閻羅王那裡去了。你要不要去呀？」
「那好啊，那我當然要去！」
Chen Po is that simple. She knows there is the World of Ultimate Bliss. She does not want to go to the place of King Yama to undergo judgement. With this kind of mind, she recited Namo Amitabha Buddha, Namo Amitabha buddha… from morning till night. This is the first time she has heard about the World of Ultimate Bliss, that by reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha, we can go there.
陳婆就很簡單，知道有一個極樂世界、不要到閻羅王那裡去審判，就懷著這樣的心念佛——南無阿彌陀佛，南無阿彌陀佛……一天到晚念。這是她第一次聽到念佛可以到極樂世界。
Later, Upasika Yan went back to her hometown again and her mother told her, ‘Our neighbour A Po is sick. She is on the bed. Do go and take a look at her!’ Upasika Yan went over to see her and found that she did not recite Namo Amitabha Buddha on the bed. Upasika Yan asked, ‘A Po, you like Amitabha recitation so much. Now, why are you not reciting?’ She asked, ‘Can I recite Namo Amitabha Buddha while lying on the bed?’
後來，嚴居士又回老家一趟，她媽媽說：「隔壁的阿婆病了，躺在床上，你去看看吧！」嚴居士就去看她，見她躺在床上不念佛。嚴居士說：「阿婆，你這麼喜歡念佛，現在怎麼不念佛啊？」
她說：「躺在床上也能念佛嗎？」
Upasika Yan told her, ‘No problem! You are sick now. So, it is inconvenient. Amitabha Buddha does not mind. You can lie on the bed to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha.’
She said, ‘I am worried that I should not recite on the bed. I wanted to recite but I dared not do it. It is so good for you to tell me this. I believe in you. I have seen you growing up before me and I know you will not lie to me.’ Good! She started to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha again.
嚴居士就跟她說：「沒關係！你現在生病不方便，阿彌陀佛不嫌棄，你躺在床上也好念佛的！」
她說：「我就怕不能念佛，我想念還不敢念。你這樣告訴我就好了，我相信你講的話，我從小看著你長大的，知道你不騙人。」好！她又開始念佛。
After the passing by of one more month, Upasika Yan’s mother told her, ‘Our neighbour A Po has already passed away. She has left in such a supremely wonderful way.’
又過了一個多月，嚴居士的媽媽說：「隔壁的阿婆走了，走得非常殊勝。」
No one in the old lady’s home believes in the Buddha. Before she left, she told her daughter the time she would be leaving.’ But her daughter did not believe in her. She said, ‘Mother, you look so good. Where are you going?’ She did not take her words seriously. So, she passed away silently, with no aided recitation. When her daughter came back and found that her mother had already passed away. But her body is still very soft. She was very frightened because she had no faith in the Buddha. She did not know what has happened. She ran to see Upasika Yan’s Mother, her neighbour and said, ‘Do come and see what has happened to my mother. Is she death already or still alive? Why is her body so soft?’ You see, this is a very common old lady who is not cultured, who only recite Namo Amitabha Buddha exclusively. She took care of her recitation and she left in such a supremely wonderful way.
老婆婆家裡沒有人信佛，她走的時候提前告訴女兒她什麼時候要走。女兒不相信：「你精神好得很，你往哪裡去啊？」沒當一回事兒。她是一個人悄悄走的，沒有人助念。她女兒跑回來一看，媽媽死了，身上還是軟的，就害怕了，因為不信佛、不瞭解怎麼回事，就跑到隔壁找嚴居士的媽媽：「你看看我媽怎麼回事，是死還是沒死？怎麼身上是稀軟稀軟的？」你看，就這麼一個平常的老太太，沒有文化，專修念佛，守著這句名號，走得非常殊勝。
Great Master Yin Guang said that he had been travelling tens of thousand miles to and fro from the south to the north. He has met with lots of people. In most cases, Amitabha reciters who are honest, simple will pass away peacefully and at ease, even though there is no manifestation of lights or auspicious marks. But those who has penetrated the sects and teachings, who look down on the Pure Land practitioners, who are very well-known often leave the world in a pitiful and chaotic way. At the last moment of life, the well-versed ones, the wise ones suffer a loss in comparison to the uneducated ones, the ones with no wisdom. You may be winning now, but at last you will lose. This is not good.
印光大師講，他走南闖北，往返萬餘里，見過很多人，往往是老實愚癡的念佛人，即使走的時候沒有什麼放光動地的瑞相，但最起碼都走得安詳自在；那些通宗通教、蔑視淨土的人，雖然有很大的名聲，但是走的時候總是呼爹叫娘。到最後，有學問、有智慧的人反而輸給沒有學問、沒有智慧的人。大家不要現在贏過人家，到最後輸給人家，那就不好了。
Of course, if the wise ones are not proud of his wisdom, in the way just as described by Great Master Yin Guang, that he is able to put down his body and mind, that he recites Namo Amitabha Buddha sincerely just like the common old ladies, his wisdom will be much more supreme. This is because not only he can attain a rebirth, he can also propagate the Dharma to benefit living beings. This is much better.
當然，有智慧的人如果不倚恃自己的智慧，像印光大師所說的，也能夠放下身心，老老實實學一般的老太太來念佛，他的智慧就更加殊勝。因為他不僅可以自己往生，還可以弘法利生，那就更好了。
The ones with great learning should have a change of mind. They should not be so proud of their knowledge that they refuse to recite Namo Amitabha Buddha. They should think this way, ‘My knowledge and understanding are very limited. Even Manjushri Bodhisattva, Samantabhadra Bodhisattva are also seeking to attain a rebirth in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, what is more so for a common man like me?’ They should transform the mind of arrogance to seek a rebirth in the World of Ultimate Bliss.
多聞的人，也要迴心，不要認為自己廣學多聞，就可以不念佛。應該說：「我們的智解很有限，文殊菩薩、普賢菩薩都求生極樂淨土，何況我這個庸庸凡夫呢？」迴轉高慢的心，求生極樂世界。
Those who uphold the precepts should also have a change of mind to seek a rebirth in the Western World of Ultimate Bliss. By doing so, their Brahman conduct will be guaranteed. They are confirmed to attain Buddhahood.
How about those who have transgressed the precepts, who are deep in sinful karmas? Most of them will feel that they are finished, ‘I am finished. I am sure to fall down!’ May be Amitabha Buddha will not rescue people such like me.’ This type of thinking is improper too. They should have a change of mind. With a mind of regrets and repentance they should say, ‘I am heavy in sinful karmas. With a root potential like me, I am sure I will fall down! Only Amitabha Buddha who is Greatly kind and Compassionate can rescue me with this root potential. So, I will have a change of mind to rely totally on Amitabha Buddha. In every thought, I am mindful of the Buddha, reciting His Name to seek a rebirth in the Western Land.’ People such like are confirmed to attain a rebirth too.
持淨戒的人，也要迴心求生西方極樂世界，這樣才能保證梵行清淨，決定成佛。
破戒的、罪業深厚的人呢？一般會覺得「完了，我要墮落了！我這樣的人，阿彌陀佛可能不救。」這樣的心也是不正確的，也要迴心轉意。應該懷著慚愧心和懺悔心：「我罪業深重，以我這樣的根機，肯定要墮落！現在只有阿彌陀佛大慈大悲，能夠救度我這樣的根機。所以，我的心迴轉過來，投靠阿彌陀佛，念念念佛，求生西方。」這樣也決定往生。
During the Song Dynasty, there was a monk by the name Ying Ke. It was recorded in the ‘General records of the Buddha.’ Dharma Master Ying Ke had left the homelife. But he did not abide the Buddha’s precepts and pure rules and had many transgressions.
宋朝有一位出家師父，名叫瑩珂，在《佛祖統紀》裡有記載。瑩珂法師雖然出了家，但是在戒律方面毀犯很多，沒有按照佛法的清規戒律來做。
After some time, he realized his faults, ‘Oh dear! I am in troubles. I continue to drink wine, to eat meat. Besides, I have transgressed many other precepts. I am indeed leaving the homelife in vain. I am very sure I will fall into the evil paths!’ He was very frightened as he had not bothered to learn any Dharma Door. In fact, his mind was not on the Path. Now he had an awakening and he borrowed a book from his Dharma brothers. It is the ‘Biography on attaining a rebirth.’ After he had read the book, he heaved a sigh of relief, ‘I see! By reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha I can attain a rebirth in the Western World of Ultimate Bliss!’ He immediately had a change of mind and became very diligent in Amitabha recitation. He swore that he would not eat nor drink for seven days, ‘My sins are too severe. It is most frightening to fall into the hell! Since I can go to the West by reciting Namo Amitabha Buddha, I have better go now, reciting the Buddha’s Name now!’ After bringing forth this mind, he closed his doors and recited Namo Amitabha Buddha by himself in the room.
過了一段時間，他良心發現：「麻煩了！像我這樣子，酒肉也沒有斷，其他戒也多有毀犯，我豈不是白白出家一場！豈不是要墮落惡道！」心中就很恐慌。他沒修學過什麼法門，因為沒有道心嘛。現在醒悟了，他就向同住的道友借了一部《往生傳》，看過之後非常感慨：「原來念佛可以往生西方極樂世界！」他一轉變過來，就勇猛念佛，發誓七天不吃不喝：「我造罪太重了，墮落地獄不得了！念佛能到西方，乾脆現在就念著佛去！」發了這樣的心，就把門關起來，一個人在房間裡念佛。
After three days, he had a dream of Amitabha Buddha who came to tell him this, ‘You can still live another ten years. After ten years, I will come again to welcome you. You should be diligent.’
Ying Ke Dharma Master said, ‘Amitabha Buddha! I am this man with inferior root, with no wisdom. I am afraid after such a long time I might lose my Proper mindfulness and start to commit sins of decay. Please help me, Amitabha Buddha who is kind and compassionate. Do bring me along earlier. I do not want to live another ten years.’ This is the genuine mind to seek a rebirth in the Western World of Ultimate Bliss. This is bringing forth the courageous mind of diligence.

GBP 831 per case/6 IB
Lots of chat on the discord about this one given the large price drop vs 2022
98pts Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux “Structured and powerful, this is not as forbidding as En Primeur in many vintages of Las Cases, showing both flesh and florality, but the tannic walls of this great estate remain fully in place, coupled with layers of cassis and bilberry fruits, subtle hints of bitter aniseed, fennel, cola, espresso, squid ink, textured slate tannins. Expect inky depths and unashamed austerity, a wine that will take its time to open, making no excuses for demanding patience. So so good, with a balance and classicism that delivers on the best of the vintage. 80% new oak, 6.6% press wine, 3.79h, harvest September 9 to October 2, 43hl/h yield. First year in the new cellars, with 43.5ha going into the main wine from the historic walled vineyard site.”
96-98pts Robert Mathias MW, Bordeaux Index “This is surprisingly approachable given how brooding and intense Las Cases can be en primeur, but that is not to say it lacks any intensity or DNA of this estate. Gravel, graphite, and wet rocks, with inky intensity here. The mid-palate is full of cassis and black plum which builds with a massive mineral crescendo. Unrelenting focus, this is pinsharp with accents of grilled herbs and iodine. So much intensity packed in the palate but without excess. A very dramatic yet poised Las Cases.”
97-98pts James Suckling “Exceptional quality of cabernet comes through here, with a lot of graphite, lead pencil, crushed stone, walnut and currant fruit. It grows and expands on the palate, remaining in focus at the same time. Refined and seamless with beautiful tannins that show power and intensity. It rolls across the palate with verve. 86% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc and 4% merlot.
95-97pts Neal Martin, Vinous “The 2023 Léoville Las-Cases was picked from September 9 to October 2 at 43hL/ha and matured in 80% new oak barrels. This has a very precise bouquet, and, like the Clos du Marquis, it is imbued with an attractive estuarine element—aromatics that transport the imbiber to the banks of the Gironde. The oak is neatly integrated; 80% is much more optimal than 100% would have been. The palate is lightly spiced on the entry, moderately deep and quite lively on the mid-palate. This is a more linear Las-Cases than recent vintages, conveying a sense of "seriousness" toward the almost saturnine finish. Impressive in terms of persistence, this is a worthy follow-up to the magnificent 2022, but it will demand patience.”
94-96pts William Kelley, The Wine Advocate “A blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and only 4% Merlot, the 2023 Léoville Las Cases is one of the more serious, structured wines of the vintage, reminiscent of a modern-day version of the estate's excellent 2001. Unwinding in the glass with aromas of cherries, cassis and plums mingled with hints of licorice, mint and creamy new oak, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a taut core of fruit, lively acids and plenty of fine, youthfully firm tannins. It will require and reward patience.”

Embark On Unforgettable Journeys With Savvy Travelers In 2025

Looking to make the most of your European adventure? Extend your vacation and indulge in the magic of river cruising with Savvy Travelers' exciting inaugural journeys debuting in 2025. As longer vacations gain popularity, we're thrilled to introduce three brand-new 14-night itineraries, along with exciting enhancements to our existing river cruise experiences!

Discover the Charms of France

Sail the Seine River and beyond with our captivating new itineraries, offering an immersive exploration of France's rich culture and breathtaking landscapes. Spend seven nights admiring the iconic landmarks of Paris and tracing the footsteps of renowned Impressionist painters before venturing into the heart of the Bordeaux wine region. Indulge in exquisite Grand Cru Classé wines and marvel at the majestic châteaux lining the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. Alternatively, embark on a culinary journey along the Rhône River, where the flavors of Lyon and the historic allure of Avignon await.

Uncover the Treasures of Europe

Embark on a 14-night Grand Rhine & Dutch Canals adventure and uncover the hidden gems of the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Switzerland. From the "City of Diamonds," Antwerp, to the cultural mecca of Amsterdam, immerse yourself in the masterpieces of Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Van Gogh. Journey through picturesque villages straight out of a fairy tale and marvel at the enchanting Rhine Gorge, adorned with over 40 majestic castles.

Experience the Majesty of the Danube

Set sail on a brilliant Budapest river journey with our all-new Imperial Danube itinerary. Explore captivating destinations such as Bratislava, Dürnstein, and Vienna on a 7-night roundtrip from Budapest. Relax and indulge in the luxurious amenities aboard your spacious ship as you cruise along the legendary Danube River, enjoying breathtaking views and unforgettable experiences at every turn.

Exciting Enhancements and New Destinations

Experience our beloved Tulip Time itinerary with a twist as we introduce new destinations in the Netherlands and Belgium, including the picturesque "Dutch Venice" of Giethoorn and the quaint village of Bruinisse.
Plus, guests embarking on our Gems of Southeast Europe river cruise can look forward to new excursions in Vukovar, Croatia, featuring captivating visits to the Vucedol Museum and guided tours of the historic city of Osijek.

Magnificent Europe Returns

Back by popular demand, our Magnificent Europe river cruise makes its triumphant return in 2025, offering guests the opportunity to explore the beauty of Europe from Budapest to Amsterdam. Glide along the storied Danube and Rhine rivers, savoring iconic flavors and creating memories to last a lifetime.

Start Planning Your 2025 River Cruise Today

Don't miss out on these extraordinary journeys with Savvy Travelers! Contact your travel advisor to start planning your unforgettable river cruise experience in 2025!

Are there any software out there that allows me to create custom images on Linux? I read that Photoshop isn't necessary considering Linux has many native programs for so.
an example/scenario would be: Lets say I decided to create an Album Cover and needed software to create one from scratch.
Or suppose I decided to want to create my own magnificent wallpaper.
Anyone know of such software????
Thanks in advance.
Edit* Other than Adobe because I don't want to use Wine for Windows apps on Linux.

Journey: 3 weeks, door-to-door, with about 10 days in each country. April 2-23, 2024.
Me: 54M from Boulder, Colorado, USA, experienced world traveler but first proper solo trip. I heard that Uzbekistan is beautiful, safe, and a worthwhile destination a couple of years ago while on The Adventurists' Rickshaw Run in Sri Lanka. That lodged in my brain, and when I discovered Turkish Airlines offered the best Star Alliance routing to Tashkent from Denver, the pairing with Turkey seemed ideal.
Here is my first ever trip report. Sorry if it's too long.
I spent the first 5 nights in Istanbul in the Karaköy neighborhood, about a 2-minute walk from the Galata bridge. Ideal location, lousy hotel (noisy, hot, and kinda shabby).
On my first full day I joined a "Taste of Two Continents" tour with Yummy Istanbul. We ate two breakfasts on the European side and two lunches on the Asian side in Kadiköy. Our top-notch guide, Leyla, offered a perfect introduction to some sites, some mosques, the Egyptian Bazaar, how to take the ferry and the fascinating neighborhood of Kadiköy. Lots of history, politics, geography, tradition, and fantastic food all baked into these 6 hours (no pun intended). Highly recommended and an excellent way to get oriented to what to eat, variations on kebab, and other culinary tidbits.
I hit the 500-year-old Hurrem Sultan Hammam(Turkish bath) on Day 2. I had never been scrubbed down like that. It hurt like crazy, but well worth it. From there, I wandered toward the Grand Bazaar. On the way, I was cornered twice by aggressive salesmen," trying to get me to buy rugs. It was my second day with a small backpack, and I had no plans to purchase anything. Their "Turkish hospitality" sales style is insistent, to say the least. I basically had to walk out (not easy as an American). I found my way to the legendary Dönerci Şahin Usta — delicious and the best döner sandwich I had in Istanbul (though there can be long lines). I spent the evening eating, drinking, and wandering the steep and bustling streets around the Galata Tower.
Day 3 was a tour of some standard sites: the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. We met at 9am and waited in an already long line for the Hagia Sofia. Beautiful, but I dislike this type of close contact with thousands of other looky-loos at tourist sites — it overwhelms the beauty at hand. The Blue Mosque proved more chill. And then the story of the Obelisk outside the Blue Mosque is extraordinary. After a nap to chip away at my jetlag, I headed back across the Bosphorus to Kadiköy for a rockin' Saturday night. I bought some incredible banknotes from a street vendor (such as old Iraqi dinars with Saddam Hussain, Syrian pounds, and old Iranian rials with the Shaw. Neighboring countries to Turkey, but 6000 miles from my home). And banknotes are an easy souvenir that fits in a fully stuffed backpack.
With no reserved activity for Day 4, I walked up toward Ortaköy. I stopped in at the Dolmabahçe Palace but found myself not in the mood for looking at random fancy things with hundreds of other tourists. Just past the palace is the phenomenal Museum of Paintings (included with my ticket). I got lost amongst the old maps of the Bosphorus, paintings of epic battles, and portraits of famous sultans. Highly recommended, and the first moment, I thought, "I dig this solo traveling thing. No one to check in with or hurry me up or slow me down." I strolled towards the charmingly named "July 15 Martyrs' Bridge." I grabbed a lamb intestine sandwich and a Coke and jumped aboard a 1-hour Bosphorus cruise. While a cliché tourist activity in Istanbul, and these boats abound in the Bosphorus, it is beautiful, timeless, and enthralling. I tried to take the bus back to my hotel with my IstanbulCard, but could not figure out which one to take (Google Maps making it more confusing), so I grabbed a "taksi."
Up early on Day 5 and was third in line for the sublime Basilica Cistern (highly recommended). I walked back along the Bosphorus waterfront to my hotel to catch a taxi for my flight to Cappadocia. I arrived in Göreme where I stayed in one of the myriad cave hotels (search them on the internet) and wandered into town to meet up with a South African couple for dinner and drinks.
After breakfast on Day 6, I walked uphill from the hotel (with one of the many town dogs following me) up a canyon through tunnels, past old houses built in the rocks, and just budding trees. The trail topped out at a chicken farm with a few turkeys to finally give me the appropriate "Welcome to Turkey" I deserved. I continued up to the town of Uçhisar for some Turkish tea on a spectacular balcony overlooking Cappadocia. Now fully caffeinated, I sauntered back down to Göreme for lunch. For a change of pace, I tried an Indian restaurant called Dehli Darbar. Upon my first bite, I realized I longed for more flavor and vegetables. This place was delicious and authentic, and I ate there three more times.
I booked the Green Tour for Day 7 upon the recommendation of a friend. Maybe I had the wrong guide, group, or route, but it was terrible from the get-go. After two 15-minute stops for photos at roadside trinket stands, we then stopped at a jewelry store for an hour. At this point, I just walked off the tour. While the better sites lay ahead (the underground city at Derinkuyu), I could not deal another minute. As I walked into Uçhisar, I enjoyed a delicious local wine tasting, climbed the Uçhisar castle, bought some souvenir 0 Euro notes (I love those things!), and ate a delicious lunch on the divine patio of the Museum Hotel (with tortoises and peacocks wandering around me). From there, I bushwhacked a different route back to Göreme, down a beautiful canyon, through another tunnel, and arrived at the hotel with thunderheads cracking, and rain came in droves 10 minutes later. After the storm, I signed up for a balloon ride (which Cappadocia is genuinely famous for) and feasted on palek paneer and naan.
Up at 5am on Day 8 for the balloon ride with Turquaz Balloons. Holt shit. I have traveled a lot and been to many unique places, and this is a true bucket list activity. It started with a light breakfast and a 20-minute van ride to the balloon. I splurged for a 20-person balloon (most have 28 people). 150+ balloons are flying all at once, and it is a sight to behold. We flew into the clouds, grazed rooftops, and came within speaking distance to people viewing from the ground. Upon landing our basket directly into the trailer (!!!), the van instantly appeared with cake, champagne, ceramic medals, and diplomas (?). A truly amaze-balls hour of my life. Upon a friend's recommendation, I walked into town to Galerie Ikman to say hello to the owner Bilal and was sucked into the moment (kismet?) and bought myself a gorgeous silk rug (shipped for free to Istanbul, where I grabbed it on my way home). While the store is Instagram-ready, it is truly perfect for Instagram. From there, I took a shuttle to the airport and flew back to Istanbul for the night, staying near the airport.
Traveling around Uzbekistan requires more advanced planning (April and May are peak seasons, and trains fill up quickly). I started and ended in the capital, Tashkent, moving along the Silk Road from west (Khiva) to east (back to Taskkent). Either direction is fine, and while there are some excellent stops further out on either end (Nukus on the west and the Fergano Valley to the east), these four stops seemed doable on my timetable. I took a short flight to Khiva, then rode the trains east from Khiva to Bukhara (slow), Bukhara to Samarkand (fast), and Samarkand to Tashkent (fast). I changed one booking the day before departure, so it is worth looking for last-minute cancellations if need be.
Up early again for Day 9, flying from Istanbul to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan (about 4.5 hours). I booked a hotel near the gigantic Chorsu Bazaar which was an eye-opening way to realize I was "not in Kansas anymore." Raw beef abounds in the main building, with maybe a third of the vendors selling a variety of gigantic cuts along with large slabs of beef fat. The main building is designed in a wheel-like fashion with a pickle section, a dairy section, and dried fruit, nuts, and spices upstairs. I found a nearby "food court" and had my first p'lov, the Uzbekistan national dish (a greasy yet tasty rice dish with meat, carrots, raisins, and lots of fat). From there I found the hall of horrors — a very stinky area of cow parts for sale. A lot of cow heads, a handful of cow hearts, inflated cow intestines, quite a few hooves, and a kid digging out the eyeballs (he had a large pile). Very real, very gritty, and very different than the Whole Foods meat counter in Boulder, Colorado.
Another early rise on Day 10 for my Uzbekistan Airways flight from Tashkent to Urgench (Khiva) and a 45-minute cab ride to my hotel. Being 830am, my room was not ready, and I strolled the streets of the old town. The entire inner city is a UNESCO World Heritage site and museum. With one ticket, you can wander in and out of mosques, madrasas, and museums, seeing exhibits and magnificent tiled courtyards. After settling in my hotel room, with a balcony overlooking a rooftop chicken coop, I continued my meandering. Dinner was the local specialty of green noodles (fresh dill-flavored).
I had set up a tour of the Korhzem fortresses near Khva for Day 11. My driver picked me up at 9am for the 2-hour drive out into the desert to visit three of the many 2000-year-old fortresses. I immediately realized my driver was not a "guide," just a driver. He spoke broken English and knew far more about the local Chevrolet models than these ancient sites (FYI: most cars here are Chevy, a handful of old Soviet Ladas, and quite a few brand-new BYDs). Walking around the fortress walls and contemplating the immense Uzbek history is humbling, and I wished I had a guide to impart more information. I spent the evening photographing the Khiva sites against a spectacular sunset and night sky. I also met a wonderful group of Uzbekistan high school seniors eager to practice their English. The people here are delightful, friendly, and chatty.
Moving on from Khiva on Day 12, I hopped on a Soviet-era slow train to Bukhara — seven hours of hot, flat, gray desert. The dining car actually had desert dust flying around, but a cold Sarbast beer still tasted pretty good (you have to remember to ask for it to be cold). At heart, I am a foodie and found the Uzbek cuisine uninspiring. I usually build my travel days around finding or planning interesting meals — easy to do in Spain, London, or New York City. While I found Istanbul's food leaned monochromatic (spiced lamb and beef abound), I built days around the city's culinary destinations. Without that focus, some days felt directionless.
After my fortress excursion, I endeavored to find a non-private tour with other people for Day 13. I ended up with a French couple with a second French-speaking guide alongside my own guide. Our tour was mainly in English, but their guide would interrupt with a few words in French, like "chapeau!" or 'tapis!" It was awkward from the get-go, but on top of that the English-speaking guide was terrible, offering fascinating cultural notes like, "The walls of this building are 20m high." The tour concluded at The Ark of Bukhara, an extraordinary structure from the 5th century. The Ark is is one of the top sites of Bukhara, yet my guide offered no context of what it is and why it is so unique in the world. I tried to nap off the bad taste in my mouth from the tour and later went out for sunset photos of the Bukhara Registan.
After seeing most of the sites in Bukhara, I realized that there was not much left for Day 14. Travel blogs said, "at least three days for Bukhara." Maybe it is traveling solo, but I found one day there plenty. I made it to the Central Bazaar, with the mind-twisting displays of meat, lots of onions and potatoes, and their gorgeous selection of pickles (which never seem to make it on the restaurant menus). I love food markets, especially ones that seem unsanitary relative to our American eyes. I wandered to a few other sites and found an antique dealer. I spent a solid house perusing their humongous collection of old Soviet pins. They had a collection of old USSR passports with photos, stamps, and handwritten notes. I found these poignant, imbued with elements of change, death, and sadness. These well-worn, long-carried, and essential documents are now just ephemera that tourists peruse and bargain over. What will happen to my old passports? I found a restaurant for dinner that served relatively decent (and cold) Uzbek riesling.
Day 15 — another day in Bukhara. I spent the morning writing at a cafe and discovered an enthralling culinary corner of Uzbekistan. I ordered a teapot of Sea Buckthorn and Orange tea, a slightly sweetened delicious concoction of spices and oranges in a large French press. I tried all three teas at this shop (called "Far East" and "Silk Road," each delicious and each with a different flavor profile). I plan to make these at home. I ate lunch at the #1 p'lov spot in town creatively named "The Plov." It tasted like every other p'lov, which that name evokes a combination of plow and shovel (appropriately named). I did order a side of "horse meat" (I know, I know), but that was one of the more tasty things I had in Uzbekistan — rich, nuanced, and savory. The train from Bukhara to Samarkand is a serious upgrade — high speed, first-class seats, way comfy. I met a lovely couple from Cádiz, Spain, and was able to practice my Spanish for a good while. Samarkand is a world away from Bukhara — bustling, clean, and well-developed. I ate at a Caucasian restaurant, enjoying a delicious bottle of Georgian wine and new culinary flavors.
For Day 16, I found a $20 tour through Tripadvisor. An amazing day with a fantastic guide, Elior, and an older well-traveled couple from Canada. We started at the Amir Temur Mausoleum, diving into the extraordinary history of Timur (Tamerlane), and then walked over to the Registan. The Registan is hands-down one of the world's finest sites. Impressively gigantic and exquisitely detailed — simply stunning. In one madrasa classroom was a musician demonstrating a few variations of banjo-like instruments. A highlight of the tour, and I got to play a couple of them and showed him a video of me playing banjo. The tour finished by walking through the local (and huge) bazaar). After another delicious Indian dinner, I returned to the Registan for their evening music and light show. It was not quite like Phish at the Sphere in Las Vegas (which was happening concurrently), but likely cheaper tickets to get to Uzbekistan than inside that venue (Ha!). ​​ Day 17 was another day of wandering the streets of Samarkand, making my way to the Afrosiyob Settlement, an archeological site from 2500 years ago. Dinner at Labi G'orwith an over-the-top decor, parakeets blasting a soundtrack, and giant overstuffed leather sofas as the seating was also delicious (tomato salad, meat salad, kebab, and their famous local bread). I took a taxi home as that night was the first giant rainstorm of my entire trip.
Travel day on Day 18, taking the high-speed train from Samarkand to Tashkent. The classic Soviet-era Hotel Uzbekistan is only a 40-minute walk from the train station, and I met a wonderful Uzbek man whom I chatted with the entire walk. I hopped on a 2-hour bus tour of the city (the only one I saw in Uzbekistan). A good tour and lots of history of sites I'd never have caught on this trip. I found a beer bar and drank a tasty pilsner of unknown origin (the name was in Cyrillic). Then one last Indian meal before heading back to the hotel, where I realized the entire front of the hotel was a giant lit-up billboard. This hotel offered a perfect metaphor for the forward-looking Tashkent and the striking difference and lasting impact of the Soviet era.
It was another travel day on Day 19. I left my hotel at 7am for my flight to Istanbul. There were eight (!!!) passport and security checks to get to my gate in Tashkent. After dropping off my stuff at the boutique Haze Karaköy Hotel, I ran out to pick up lunch, grab the rug I purchased in Göreme, and buy some last-minute gifts at the Egyptian Bazaar (visit Stall #23). Dinner was in the trendy and relatively posh neighborhood of Teşvikiye, giving a broader and deeper view of this fantastic city. Lastly, on Day 20, I flew home to Denver via London Heathrow to start working off my 11-hour jet lag.
Visas No visa is needed to get into Turkey with an American passport, but it is needed for Uzbekistan. It is easy enough to obtain an e-visa on a government website, which came to my email in about five days. The border patrol agent in Tashkent told me it was free at 55, so I said I'd return next year.
Gear: I splurged on a beautiful Boundary Arris pack, which is meticulously designed yet not overly technical and comfortable. It also fits under the seat in front of me on a plane (never necessary on this trip). I brought a small Osprey Daylite Sling, which proved to be an indispensable daily carry. It fits my Kindle, a medium water bottle, sunglasses, sunscreen, and maybe my journal and passport. While I brought my Macbook, there was never a need to bring a laptop around town. When moving from city to city, with a water bottle in the Boundary backpack pocket, the sling was light enough to carry as a "front pack" around my neck (though I could fit it inside if need be). In terms of clothing, I relentlessly culled articles to fit it all into one bag (two pairs of pants, four pairs of socks, four tees, one flannel, one fleece, one sweater, one puffy jacket, one raincoat, one pair of shorts, one bathing suit). Given the shoulder season weather, I used the warmer layers earlier in the trip that sat unused for the latter half (mainly my puffy jacket). No one wore shorts on the streets in both countries (except a few tourists), and I could have left those at home. Turkey and Uzbekistan use the Euro-style plug, and I brought this handy-dandy charger. I find noise-canceling headphones expensive and bulky, and they tend to hurt my ears after a couple of hours. I use these cheapos from Sony, and I don't fret over them and can replace them on a whim (and they are WAY better than the freebies on the plane). My shoe choices are essential for my size 14 feet, so if something is not working, I am SOL when traveling. I brought a pair of Oboz hiking shoes and had a pair of Birkenstocks in my pack.
I did laundry through the hotel about every four days, and I purchased next to nothing on the road except some souvenir banknotes, a few Soviet pins, and some beautiful Turkish coasters as gifts. The silk carpet came with a canvas bag to check, and I bought more things at the tail end of the trip, like saffron, pomegranate tea, and Turkish Delight to bring home to Colorado.
For my phone data, I have T-Mobile from the USA, which offers free data and texting in most other countries and $0.20/minute to talk (but who talks on the phone anymore?). The data could have been faster for scrolling but solid enough for Google Maps, and I appreciated not having that 5G service, which helped me not look at my phone all the time.
What I'd do differently: Regarding travel, I have been a diehard DIY-er for decades. I never considered other options on this trip, even though my research came across dozens of tour operators for both Turkey and Uzbekistan. While the time commitment for planning the Uzbekistan leg was substantial (though not reasonable), I have second-guessed my aversion to tour-based travel as a solo traveler. Most of my day tours in Uzbekistan were flops, and it proved challenging to meet other solo travelers (as most were likely on tours). All this said, I still would want to avoid being on a tour bus in Turkey. As of today, here are my thoughts on some future trips: Namibia: full tour. Caucuses: full tour. India: partial tour. Japan: no tour. But check back in a year, and I may have changed my tune.
Another thing I found as a solo traveler in Uzbekistan was that Khiva and Bukhara only required a day and a half to see. In retrospect, I would add the Fergano Valley for more mountains and hiking to the trip, a Yurt camping excursion, or the Aral Sea (which looks dry and depressing).
Regarding hotels, I'd stay at The Hazy Karaköy in Istanbul, the Amulte Hotel in Bukhara, and the Arka Boutique Hotel in Samarkand.
I wish I bought "The Great Game" instead of "The Silk Road" as a research book before coming. I listen to nonfiction and read fiction, and "The Great Game" was far more engaging, with the opening scene in Bukhara. I did not use guidebooks, only Google Maps, various blogs, Reddit, or a dozen YouTube videos.
Why Uzbekistan?
Of all the 'Stans, Uzbekistan is the best first trip to Central Asia. As an American, Afghanistan is not possible, and Pakistan seems quite sketchy. Turkmenistan is a dictatorship (and I believe we are allowed only a five days transit visa), Kazakhstan is humongous (10x bigger than Italy, or the size of all of western Europe), Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan both sounds excellent, but not considered as safe by the US State Department and don't have the same level of tourist infrastructure (which I wanted on this trip). And Uzbekistan's history spans millennia (evidence of Neanderthals has been found there), and the sites are world-class without being near the crowds like Rome, Paris, or Istanbul.
Final Verdict: I will leave it to a few famous quotes to inspire you.
"Once a year, go someplace you've never been before." —Dalai Lama
"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." — Eleanor Roosevelt
"Remind yourself that you don't have to do what everyone else is doing." — Banksy

Hi all, wanted to write an update to my previous post after returning from London and share my experiences/impressions for others in case anyone will find it helpful. FYI - We are 2 adults, 1 toddler (1.5 years old), and 2 seniors from New York City.

1. Saturday - adjustment date
   1. Airport & Underground: flew into LHR terminal 2/3 from JFK. super convenient to connect from arrivals to Piccadilly line. The stations have tap pay (NFC) so no need to buy Oyster card. Piccadilly trains have dedicated areas by the doors for luggage/pram.
      1. side note: Chase Sapphire Lounge was packed Friday night and was on a 30 minute waitlist. We took the opportunity to check out Centurion lounge which relatively less busy. We flew Jetblue mint and appreciated that we can lie down so our LO can sleep with us.
   2. Lunch: Went to get fish & chips at Hobsons in Bayswater for our first meal after getting in. our favorite was Plaice amongst Haddock and Cod. I think the American equal of Plaice is flounder? Bayswater is definitely a very convenient neighborhood for families!
   3. Groceries: Went to Waitrose to get groceries (though I felt M&S was way more posh). Wow, there is a lot of single use plastics for produce.
2. Sunday - South Kensington
   1. Hyde Park: We did not leave until noon due to jetlag. Walked through Hyde Park as the weather was sublime. so many different breeds of dogs! also nobody leashes their dog?
   2. Sunday Roast: Ended up going to The Queen's Arms for Sunday Roast as a walk in (would recommend reservations but we lucked out and got their only table for walk in, a high table, so not best for toddler). We got the combination order that included the pork, beef, and chicken. The chicken was outstanding and the most tendejuicy we've had.
   3. Museums: We opted for V&A over natural history since someone said it is quite similar to New York's. Things that stood out at V&A were Trajan's column magnificent scale and the jewels.
   4. Harrods: Walked over to Harrods. sensory overload with perfumes, bright show lights, and crowded food hall (with no seating??). There were some things reduced price near closing but still pricey. Still worth a gander though.
3. Monday - Westminster
   1. Changing of Guard: Jetlag persisted so we missed the changing of the guard, which was personally disappointing since I spent fair amount of time researching the best location/views. C'est la vie.
   2. Westminster & Big Ben: Big Ben looking great after the renovations.
   3. Lunch: Originally planned for M&S but despite wide variety of prepared foods for take away, there isn't actually dedicated sit down area to eat. Stopped by Wagamama Cardinal Place since my ex-British colleague rated the chain highly. It had good food (had children's menu), attentive service, clean baby change/toilet, and their high chair was clean & had a toy.
   4. Buckingham Palace guided tour (offered only in winter for $$$): I really underestimated how difficult it would be to carry my toddler on a sling for 2 hours and moving slowly through the state rooms as the guide gave a robust discourse on the history. Fortunately my LO was very cooperative but it took me hanging back from the group to keep them occupied by pointing out all the different things in the room (e.g. how many fat babies can we find on the paintings in the room?). Despite missing changing of the guards, the band was playing at Wellington Barracks upon our exit so that was nice to get a sense.
4. Tuesday - City of London
   1. Tower of London: Family didn't think we would spend enough time (and not enough energy) at Tower of London to justify the admission fee so we will save for next time and admired it from the outside. I think minimum suggested is 4 hours.
   2. Tower Bridge & Lunch: The plan was to make it to Borough market for lunch but we didn't make it as we took in the views walking along the Thames. We ended up at Five Guys as we all got hungry and needed toilets. They had a spectacular view of Tower Bridge on their 2nd floor dining area.
   3. Sky Garden: Made our way to the walkie-talkie for Sky Garden via London bridge. We looked all for the lifts that the signage indicated but no luck. It was a bit dodgy carrying the pram up the steeps stairs. Sky Garden was awesome considering it is free to get up there and no pressure to buy anything to get a seat to marvel the 360 views from both floors. We also did appreciate the cost of drinks were not exorbitant.
   4. Leadenhall Market: We walked by to get to the underground and like others said, its more market in name only but it was nice to see the bankers in their natural habitat since it was near close of business.
5. Wednesday - Leicester Square
   1. Transfer: We actually transferred from an Airbnb to Kimpton Fitzroy in Bloomsbury. Half of us took an Uber to ferry all the luggage and the other half took the central line. Surprisingly or not..?, the underground was faster. For Ubers to carry luggage, definitely get the larger cars since the cars run small and might not fit your luggage.
   2. Checking in: We originally had other things planned but we end up scrapping that since it took a lot longer to get situated into the new environment. All worked out though since the Kimpton had social hour where there are wines and beers on the house so we took advantage of that.
   3. Lunch: Got Nandos at the shopping mall nearby since we like the restaurant in the states. The sauces are definitely spicier!
6. Thursday - Windsor Castle & Eaton The West End
   1. Decided to save Windsor for next time and explored the West End instead.
   2. Trafalgar Square: nice to look down Whitehall and towards Big Ben
   3. National Gallery: stumbled upon a live opera in one of the galleries, so that was really cool to happen upon.
   4. Leicester Square: reminds me of Union Square in new york.
   5. Afternoon Tea at Fortnum & Masons: we definitely liked this place over Harrods as it felt less overwhelming. Afternoon noon tea was pricey but was happy with the experience and service. Nice touch to have a a live pianist, especially enjoyed by our LO who was able to walk up to the piano.
   6. Chinatown: very photogenic to have the lanterns illuminate and was surprise how busy it was for a Thursday!
   7. Covent Gardens: walked around the stone roads (not so great for the pram though) and got dinner at Din Tai Fung. Took the bus back and good thing I was being diligent because the next stop was "*" and noticed we were going off route. The driver then told me we were going on diversion and let us off the next stop, after where we just walked the rest of the way back. This wasn't the night bus.
7. Friday
   1. British Museum: You can spend days in here but we selected some key galleries to see. China, Egypt, and Assyria. I was particularly inspired to see Assyria after listening to Dan Carlin's King of Kings podcast.
   2. Roof Garden On Holborn's Post Building: was excited to check out this "hidden gem" but unfortunately it was closed for maintenance!
   3. South Bank: Made our way to walk along south bank since the grandparents wanted to see Big Ben south of the Thames. It was a great to see the buildings and bridges light up as we got to the London Eye. Also a sobering moment when we got to the Covid Memorial wall.
8. Saturday
   1. Took Piccadilly back to LHR. LHR was very strict with the liquid requirements and even had a bagging station for you to sort your items. Maybe we got to used to TSA pre-check because they are less strict. We also had a lot of liquids for the toddler too so the additional screening took a fair bit of time.

Additional casual observations (in no particular order):

1. Underground: The underground can be confusing because the same lines can have two different end stops/terminus. I never figured out the Circle line. Also what can be challenging is that stations can have different platforms in the same station. Furthermore, the lifts take you to different platforms and sometimes you need to shuttle between lifts to get to the right one. The diagrams are helpful though. In addition, something I overlooked about step free and transfer is that while the start and end station could have lifts/step free, the transfer station may not!
2. Jaywalking: The walk signal is probably the most ignored thing ever and jay walking is even more aggressive than NYC.
3. Food: We felt that the food was not overly salty which we appreciated but makes me wonder if this is where the stereotype that British food is bland comes from?
4. Water Kettle: Very sad that my water kettle takes forever to boil after being spoiled. Turns out British kettles boil twice as fast because of the higher voltage
5. Playgrounds: Not sure how common it is but the Princess Diana playground in Hyde Park only allowed adults with children and really liked the security behind that. Sad that I haven't seen any in America have this and a bit cynical that we would allocate public funds to support this.

​
​
​